Ngawang Wangdol, a 19-year-old nun from Lhokhar, was arrested in 1992 for taking part in a peaceful protest in Lhasa, during which she and other nuns shouted slogans in support of the Dalai Lama. She was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and detained in Gutsa, Drapchi, and Trison prisons.

During her incarceration, Ngawang Wangdol was subjected to torture, prolonged solitary confinement, forced labour, and military-style “patriotic re-education.” Despite the severe punishment and constant surveillance, she and other imprisoned nuns secretly recorded songs calling for freedom, which led to further interrogations and abuse by prison authorities.

Following her release in 1995, Ngawang Wangdol fled Tibet and sought refuge in India, where she continued her advocacy and activism from exile.