UN Experts Voice Concern Over 2014 Disappearance of Bhutanese Human Rights Defender Lok Nath Acharya

The Hague, The Netherlands

In a significant show of international solidarity, four United Nations human rights experts have jointly raised alarm over the unresolved disappearance of Mr. Lok Nath Acharya, a prominent Nepali-speaking Bhutanese human rights defender, who went missing in 2014.

The following UN experts have taken coordinated action in the case:

• Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
• Matthew Gillett, Vice-Chair on Communications, UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
• Gabriella Citroni, Chair-Rapporteur, UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
• Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression

In a joint communication, the experts formally contacted the governments of Bhutan and India, urging them to provide concrete information regarding the fate and whereabouts of Mr. Acharya.

The action follows sustained advocacy by the Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB), in collaboration with Ms. Srijana Acharya, daughter of the disappeared human rights defender. Earlier this year, GCRPPB submitted a comprehensive report to the UN Special Rapporteurs, following a referral from the U.S. Department of State.

Mr. Acharya was a vocal advocate for the rights of Bhutan’s Nepali-speaking ethnic minority, tens of thousands of whom were forcibly expelled from Bhutan in the early 1990s. As a member of the Human Rights Organization of Bhutan, he worked in exile to document and expose human rights violations in Bhutan.

On 16 October 2014, Mr. Acharya traveled to West Bengal, India, to attend a human rights meeting. He was reportedly detained there and forcibly extradited to Bhutan by individuals believed to be members of the Royal Bhutan Police. Since that time, his whereabouts have remained unknown, and no formal acknowledgment of his detention has been made by Bhutanese authorities.

More than a decade later, his family—especially his daughter Srijana—remains in anguished uncertainty, still hoping for answers, justice, and his safe return.

Responding to GCRPPB’s continued lobbying, the four UN experts jointly issued an urgent communication to the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB), calling for clarity and accountability. The communication requests:

• A detailed account of Mr. Acharya’s detention in India and subsequent transfer to Bhutan
• Information on any investigations undertaken to determine his fate or location
• Updates on his health, safety, and psychological well-being
• Legal justifications for any detention, in compliance with international human rights standards
• Disclosure of any cross-border cooperation between Bhutan and other states in connection to Mr. Acharya’s disappearance
  

In a public statement, Ms. Mary Lawlor emphasized concerns that Mr. Acharya may have been targeted specifically because of his human rights activities, both within Bhutan and abroad.

Mr. Acharya’s case has also been formally submitted to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, as part of GCRPPB’s broader strategy to mobilize international attention and accountability.

“This joint action by four UN experts demonstrates that the international community is watching and demanding answers. It is imperative that Bhutan and India respond with transparency and integrity.”

GCRPPB reiterates its call for the Royal Government of Bhutan and His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to engage constructively with UN mechanisms, uphold the rule of law, and commit to protecting the rights and dignity of all individuals—regardless of political opinion or ethnic background.