KATHMANDU, Jan 12: The Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) has welcomed a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court of Nepal affirming that refugees in Nepal cannot be obstructed from third-country resettlement or treated as ordinary foreigners under immigration laws.
The ruling, published on January 9, overturned a Home Secretary-level decision that had barred a Bhutanese refugee family from the Beldangi camp in Jhapa from traveling to Canada over alleged immigration violations and unpaid fines. The court clarified that recognized refugees cannot be penalized for expired identity cards or overstaying—particularly after the resettlement program was suspended in 2016—and warned that restricting refugee movement could put lives at risk, according to a press statement issued by GCRPPB.
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The Supreme Court reiterated that refugees have three lawful options—voluntary repatriation, local integration, or resettlement in third countries—and directed the state to facilitate these solutions when return or integration is not feasible.
GCRPPB noted that while more than 113,000 Bhutanese refugees were resettled in eight countries by 2016, over 6,500 remain in camps in eastern Nepal. The organization expressed concern that many refugees have been denied repatriation, family reunification, and resettlement opportunities due to the government’s failure to renew identity cards or issue travel documents.
The situation is particularly critical for former Bhutanese political prisoners who remain undocumented in Nepal despite their families having resettled abroad, leaving them stateless and without basic rights, the press release said.
GCRPPB urged the Government of Nepal to immediately resume refugee registration, issue identity cards and travel documents, and seek international support for dignified repatriation and family reunification. It also called on the international community, including the United Nations and resettlement countries, to support durable solutions for Bhutanese refugees.
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