KATHMANDU, March 18: The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) has released Opinion No. 60/2024, exposing Bhutan’s ongoing human rights violations and the arbitrary imprisonment of political prisoners. The report highlights the representative cases of three Nepali-speaking Bhutanese individuals—Birkha Bahadur Chhetri, Kumar Gautam and Sunman Gurung—who have been incarcerated since 2008 under inhumane conditions.
These cases are not isolated incidents but reflect a broader pattern of repression in Bhutan, where at least 29 other political prisoners remain unjustly detained. The Bhutanese government has consistently employed unfair trials, fabricated charges, and severe restrictions to silence dissent, particularly targeting the Nepali-speaking Bhutanese community, said Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) in a press statement on Tuesday.
The WGAD has officially declared Bhutan’s actions a violation of international law, urging the government to immediately release all political prisoners, reform its legal system, provide compensation, and permit independent investigations into human rights abuses.
The GCRPPB has welcomed the WGAD report and urged the Royal Government of Bhutan to take immediate action to release all political prisoners and reform its legal framework.
GCRPPB calls on Bhutan to release all detainees facing similar injustices, provide full compensation for wrongful imprisonment, end the misuse of arbitrary detention laws, and allow international human rights monitors access to its prison system.
Amnesty International calls on Washington to investigate UAE ‘w...
Key Findings of the WGAD Report
The three detainees were arrested in 2008 without warrants and sentenced to life imprisonment under Bhutan’s National Security Act (1992). Their convictions were politically motivated, targeting them for peaceful activism and criticism of government policies. Bhutan has failed to provide any legal justification for their continued imprisonment.
The detainees were denied legal representation and forced to defend themselves in court. Their trial was conducted in Dzongkha, a language they do not understand, with government-appointed interpreters, raising serious concerns about fairness. They were convicted without any evidence of violent intent, solely for distributing pamphlets critical of the government.
Bhutan falsely labeled them as terrorists under broad national security laws. The National Security Act (1992) has repeatedly been used to target ethnic minorities and political activists. The WGAD confirmed that these individuals were imprisoned simply for exercising their right to free speech and peaceful activism.
Since 2017, Bhutan has completely denied political prisoners any contact with their families. In 2024, the government falsely claimed that family visits were still allowed. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) last visited Bhutan in 2012, and in 2022, families holding official ICRC documents were denied access to their imprisoned relatives.
Bhutan ignored the WGAD’s request for information on these cases and failed to provide any legal justification for their detention. This pattern of non-cooperation raises serious concerns about Bhutan’s transparency and accountability.
A Systematic Pattern of Human Rights Abuses in Bhutan
The UN report confirms Bhutan’s ongoing suppression of political dissent, with a particular focus on the Nepali-speaking Bhutanese community. The National Security Act (1992) has been weaponized to silence opposition voices, while Bhutan’s refusal to allow international monitoring raises serious concerns about the treatment of prisoners.
The WGAD’s findings extend beyond these three cases. They expose a broader human rights crisis in Bhutan, where at least 32 political prisoners remain behind bars under fabricated charges.
The GCRPPB has called for an urgent call for international action, arguing that Bhutan’s ongoing human rights violations require urgent international attention. The United Nations, human rights organizations and foreign governments must intensify diplomatic pressure on Bhutan to comply with international law and release all political prisoners.
“The WGAD has officially determined that Bhutan is violating international human rights law. The Bhutanese government must cease the persecution of political dissidents, permit independent investigations, and release all individuals detained under politically motivated charges,” it said in the statement. The GCRPPB has also called for the international community to take strong diplomatic and legal action to hold Bhutan accountable for its continued human rights abuses.
