u.s. tibet committee

[ back ]

DRAPCHI NUNS

Full Name	Age at Detainment	Current Age	Date Detained	Expected Date of Release	Base Sentence	Extended Sentence	Full Sentence
Ngawang Choezom	22 yrs old	32 yrs old	03/21/92	03/21/03 Released	5 yrs	6 yrs	11 yrs
Gyaltsen Drolkar	19 yrs old	31 yrs old	08/21/90	08/21/02 Released 03/2002	4 yrs	8 yrs	12 yrs
Ngawang Sangdrol*	16 yrs old	25 yrs old	06/17/92	11/03/11 Released 10/2002	3 yrs	6 yrs	19 yrs*
Phuntsok Nyidrol**	20 yrs old	33 yrs old	10/17/89	10/17/05 Released 02/2004	9 yrs	8 yrs	16 yrs**
Tenzin Thubten	20 yrs old	32 yrs old	08/21/90	08/21/02 Released Spring 02	5 yrs	9 yrs	14 yrs
Ngawang Choekyi	23 yrs old	33 yrs old	05/14/92	05/14/05 Released Spring 02	5 yrs	8 yrs	13 yrs
Ngawang Tsamdrol	21 yrs old	31 yrs old	05/14/92	05/14/02 Released	5 yrs	5 yrs	10 yrs
Rigzen Choekyi	24 yrs old	36 yrs old	08/28/90	08/28/02 Released	7 rs	5 yrs	12 yrs
Jigme Yangchen	23 yrs old	35 yrs old	10/01/90	10/01/02 Released	7 yrs	5 yrs	12 yrs
Palden Choedron***	19 yrs old	31 yrs old	10/01/90	02/dd/02 Released	3 yrs	5 yrs	8 2 yrs***
Namdrol Lhamo	28 yrs old	38 yrs old	05/12/92	05/12/04 Released 09/2003	6 yrs	6 yrs	12 yrs
Gyaltsen Cheozom	21 yrs old	33 yrs old	08/21/90	08/21/99 Released	4 yrs	5 yrs	9 yrs
Lhundrub Zangmo	23 yrs old	35 yrs old	08/21/90	08/21/99 Released	4 yrs	5 yrs	9 yrs
Ngawang Lochoe	19 yrs old	27 yrs old	05/14/92	05/14/02 Deceased 02/2001	5 yrs	5 yrs	10 yrs

*Ngawang Sangdrol's sentence was extended twice more after 1993, once in 1996 and again in 1998, and has been reported as being either 21 or 22 years. The latter extension appears to be a result of her involvement in the May 1998 protests at Drapchi prison, and of additional individual protests. Reports in spring 2002 indicate that she has received a small sentence reduction, her expected release date moved up from 06/17/13 to 11/03/11. Her well being is of continued concern.

**Phuntsok Nyidrol received a one-year sentence reduction in May 2000; her well being is of continued concern.

***Palden Choedron was released upon sentence expiry in 1998 but was detained again in February 1999 as she attempted to flee Tibet, and has been reportedly serving a three year sentence at Trisam. Recent reports indicate that she may have been released, but her current whereabouts are unknown.

---------

Based on Tibet Information Network's "Rukhag 3: The Nuns of Drapchi Prison," page 79.

Updated from new reports June 02.

[ photo | tibetan nuns and former political prisoners passang lhamo & chuye kunsang ]

[ back ]