Dradul (born 1960), a former soldier of the People’s Liberation Army from Lhasa City, was arrested on 12 March 1989 in the aftermath of the large-scale demonstrations that took place in Lhasa between 5 and 7 March 1989. Following these protests, Martial Law was imposed in the city on 8 March 1989.

Chinese authorities accused Dradul of participating in the demonstrations, throwing stones at Chinese officials, and being involved in the death of one Chinese official. After order was restored, he was taken into custody and charged on the basis of these allegations. The Lhasa Intermediate People’s Court subsequently sentenced him to sixteen years’ imprisonment, and he was transferred to Drapchi Prison to serve his sentence.