GCRPPB calls for release of all Bhutanese political prisoners

THE HAGUE, Dec 11: On the 77th International Human Rights Day, the Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) has urged the Bhutanese government to immediately free all political detainees who have spent decades behind bars. The organisation has also appealed to the international community to intensify pressure on Bhutan to ensure the safe and unconditional release of all remaining prisoners, GCRPPB said in a press release.

According to the press release, Ram Karki, human rights activist and GCRPPB representative, highlighted the prolonged suffering of Bhutanese political detainees, many of whom were arrested in the early 1990s after peaceful pro-democracy protests were met with heavy repression. Several received life sentences under Bhutan’s former political system and remained imprisoned even after the nation’s transition to a constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy in 2007.

Between 1991 and 2009, more than 120,000 Bhutanese refugees displaced by political turmoil took shelter in UNHCR camps in eastern Nepal. After 15 rounds of Nepal–Bhutan bilateral talks failed to resolve the crisis, eight resettlement countries accepted over 113,000 refugees. Around 7,000 refugees still remain in Nepali camps, holding onto hopes of returning home with dignity, the press release said.

GCRPPB noted that many families of political prisoners have since resettled abroad, resulting in long-term separation and limited contact. The discontinuation of the ICRC family visitation programme has worsened humanitarian concerns—elderly parents fear never seeing their sons again, children grow up without meeting their fathers, and spouses endure decades of forced separation.

Likewise, Karki called on diplomatic missions, international organisations, human rights advocates, and the global community to use their influence to encourage Bhutan to grant clemency and reunite detainees with their families. He reiterated that urgent action is needed.

“This is a profound humanitarian issue that deserves immediate attention,” the press release quoted Karki as saying, “Bhutan’s democratic transition should pave the way for compassion and reconciliation. There is no justification for keeping these individuals behind bars for their peaceful advocacy for rights and justice.”

Currently, 31 human rights activists are serving long sentences—many life terms—in prisons across Bhutan. A significant number are suffering from chronic health conditions linked to years of imprisonment, torture, and malnutrition. Despite repeated appeals from international bodies, Bhutan has not addressed these concerns, even as it promotes principles such as Gross National Happiness, compassion, and mindfulness internationally.

Established in 2019, GCRPPB works globally to advocate for the safe and immediate release of all Bhutanese political prisoners and support their reunion with their families.