Increasing pressure to release Bhutanese political prisoners

The Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) held its first rally in the US demanding amnesty for Bhutanese political prisoners, on 17 December. In course of the last three years advocating for the release of these political prisoners, GCRPPB has seen an increasing number of local Bhutanese diaspora members joining the cause. 

Over 40 activists stood at the front steps of the PA Capitol Complex calling for the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners in Bhutan. 

For centuries, the Nepali-speaking Bhutanese people resided peacefully in Bhutan’s southern region, only to find themselves subject to unjust cultural alienation, exiled from the country, and imprisoned. Political prisoners in Bhutan were once peaceful members of the country. Their only crime was advocating for democracy and human rights for all Bhutanese citizens. Because of this, they were labelled anti-nationalists and shut behind bars without due process.

Since 2019, GCRPPB has been pleading for their amnesty. However, the Royal Government of Bhutan continued to violate its citizen’s human rights by refusing to grant them their freedom. As a result, family members of the political prisoners continue to suffer as the world forgets about them. 

The Bhutanese community in the USA rallied in solidarity. The rally coordinated C M Niroula and Ashika Dhaurali, brought in local Bhutanese community leaders addressing the rally – Narad Adhikari, Tika Dhungana, Dr Narad Pokhrel, Samickshya Subedi, Man Ghaley. A personal plea was delivered by Pasang Tamang, brother of Chaturman Tamang, who is serving a life sentence in Bhutan. 

The campaign also held a spoken memorial in honour of the Late Dr Bhampa Rai and the Late Kishor Rai, two prominent Bhutanese activists. 

Prominent Bhutanese Community leader and a former Amnesty International Prisoner of Conscience and presently Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs-Pennsylvania, Biswanath Chhetri, Bhutanese intellectuals Madhav Sharma, former Bhutanese Parliamentarian K B Chuwan, and several others community leaders attended the rally.

GCRPPB has called on the young people to continue to work in the Bhutanese movement and get involved in the work to pressure the Royal Government of Bhutan and the King to immediately release all political prisoners, respecting their fundamental rights to peaceful opinion.

In Australia, a memorandum was submitted to Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, urging for diplomatic support that ensure the early release of political prisoners from Bhutanese jails. Similar memorandums were submitted to the country’s foreign ministers in Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.