Ngawang Samphel, a 33-year-old monk of Drepung Monastery, originally hailed from Phenpo Lhundrup County in Tibet. He joined Drepung Monastery in 1983 and was actively involved in the monastic community.

On 27 September 1988, Ngawang Samphel participated in a protest in Lhasa along with five other monks from Drepung Monastery. The demonstration was part of the broader wave of Tibetan protests during that period. He and the other monks were subsequently arrested by Chinese security personnel.

More than a decade later, in April 1999, Ngawang Samphel was again arrested and detained at Gutsa Detention Centre in Lhasa. He was held there for nine months without a proper trial or formal conviction, a detention that contravenes basic legal standards and due process. Following this period of detention, no reliable information has emerged regarding his current whereabouts or condition, raising serious concerns about his well-being and safety.