A Tibetan nun, Ngawang Sangdrol, convicted for protesting China's occupation of Tibet, has been freed nine years before the end of her sentence. In her mid-teens, Ngawang was imprisoned by Chinese authorities after being convicted of 'counterrevolution'. Officials said she was freed for good behavior. She was the longest-serving female prisoner in China. The U.S. government has long been asking for the release of Ngawang Sangdrol. There is speculation that the move was a goodwill gesture before Chinese president Jiang Zemin's upcoming visit to the U.S. to meet with President Bush. Amnesty International has hailed Ngawang's release but calls for increased efforts to win the freedom of other Tibetan political prisoners.
