Phuntsog Nyidron

Phuntsog Nyidron (born 1969) is a Tibetan Buddhist nun and a former high-profile prisoner in Tibet. In 1993 while still in prison, she secretly recorded and smuggled out songs with some other prisoners that praised the Dalai Lama and demanded an independent Tibet, for which she was again convicted of counterrevolutionary propaganda and incitement and her sentence extended for eight more years. For the remainder of her time in Drapchi Prison, she did other political actions such as hunger strikes, and made allegations of corporal punishment and other mistreatment in prison.

The Prison Law of the People's Republic of China was amended in 1994 to address such abuses. Her sentence was reduced one year in 2001, The Chinese government, "taking account the strong views of the Bush administration", released her for better relations with the United States, and to signal an increased willingness to talk with the Dalai Lama. She was the last of the 14 "Singing Nuns", named as such by the media for their 1993 album that was released from prison. In 2006, she was granted permission to leave for the United States for medical treatment. She subsequently moved to Switzerland, successfully applying for political asylum.