Last of Tibet's Singing Nuns Phuntsog Nyidron Freed by Hamish McDonald The Age / Forefront 12:33pm 28th Feb, 2004   Beijing.February 28, 2004 ( The Age)    China has released one of its longest-serving political prisoners in Tibet, the last of a group known as the "singing nuns" for their clandestine recordings in jail of songs supporting Tibet's independence.    Tibet activists said Phuntsog Nyidron's "early" release on Thursday after 14 years in prison appeared timed to ward off criticism at meetings taking place in Europe and the United Nations on human rights.    It also follows concerted pressure by the US Government. But her case was not raised by an Australian Government human rights team that visited Tibet last July, according to officials in the Tibet regional government. Nor was that of any other of Tibet's estimated 145 political prisoners.    Venerable Phuntsog was arrested aged about 20 in 1989, when pro-independence protest swept Tibet. It was harshly put down by Chinese security forces under martial law applied by then regional party secretary Hu Jintao, now China's President.    Originally sentenced to eight years' jail as one of the protest ringleaders, she was given another eight years after she and 13 other nuns secretly recorded songs expressing their love of family, homeland and the exiled Dalai Lama on a tape recorder smuggled into Lhasa's Drapchi prison. The recording was widely circulated among Tibetans.    All the other "singing nuns" had received light sentences and been released earlier. Venerable Phuntsog's sentence was cut by one year four years ago, and her release follows another one-year remission given as a "humanitarian gesture" to mark the Tibetan new year.    Venerable Phuntsog, now in her mid-30s, was tortured during interrogation and is thought to be suffering a kidney ailment.    26.02.2004 (Forefront)    According to reports by Associated Press (AP) and John Kamm, president of the San Francisco based Duihua Foundation, Tibetan nun Phuntsog Nyidron was released from Drapchi prison on Tuesday, February 24, 2004. Phuntsog Nyidron had been imprisoned for over 14 years for holding a peaceful demonstration in celebration of the announcement that the Dalai Lama had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and to protest the Chinese occupation of Tibet. Forefront and other Tibetan and human rights organizations have campaigned and worked relentlessly for her release for many years.    In 1989, at the age of 22, Phuntsog Nyidron was arrested, tortured and sentenced to nine years in prison for her leadership in a peaceful pro-Tibetan demonstration held in Lhasa. In 1993, after recording Tibetan independence songs while in Drapchi prison together with other nuns, Phuntsog's sentence was extended by eight years. The nuns became collectively known as the "Drapchi 14 nuns". Phuntsog Nyidron's 17-year sentence was one of the longest ever reported for female Tibetan political prisoners. In 2001, Phuntsog's sentence was reduced by one year and she was due to be released in March 2005. She is the last nun of the "Drapchi 14" to have been released. Reportedly, she is now with her family in Lhasa.    Phuntsog Nyidron is reportedly with her family in Lhasa, but her health condition is unknown at this point.    "This is a very important day for all of us at Forefront. We have been fighting for this to happen for almost ten years" said Forefront partner Richard Nsanzabaganwa from Rwanda, who like Phuntsog Nyidron, received the Reebok Human Rights Award in 1995. We thank you for your involvement in our "Freedom Campaign" over the years and invite you to celebrate the release of Phuntsog Nyidron. Visit the related web page
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