THIMPHU, BHUTAN (HRNW) — Human Rights Watch is calling on Bhutanese authorities to release political prisoners who remain detained as Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay prepares to participate in the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
In a September 21 statement, Human Rights Watch said at least 28 political prisoners remain in Bhutanese prisons and urged the government to address long-standing concerns surrounding their detention and treatment.
The organization said many of the prisoners are from Bhutan’s Nepali-speaking community and that their cases relate to political and human-rights tensions dating back to the early 1990s.
Human Rights Watch said some prisoners were allegedly tortured before being convicted of terrorism or treason-related offenses. The organization also raised concerns that some defendants did not have access to defense lawyers during their trials.
The organization said several prisoners are serving life sentences and remain detained under difficult conditions.
Human Rights Watch noted that two prisoners, Chatur Man Tamang and Hasta Bahadur Rai, were released in June after the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention reviewed their cases.
The rights organization said their release demonstrates that authorities can take steps to resolve cases involving long-term political detention.
Human Rights Watch also cited concerns about prison conditions, including limited medical care, inadequate food and restrictions on communication with relatives.
The organization is urging Bhutan to review the cases of the remaining prisoners and release those whose detention violates international human-rights standards.
The appeal comes as Bhutan’s leadership participates in international diplomatic meetings at the UN, placing the country’s treatment of political prisoners under renewed international scrutiny.
Human Rights Watch said Bhutan should address the outstanding cases and strengthen protections for due process, political participation and freedom of expression.
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Disclaimer
This article is based on research and assessments published by Human Rights Watch and information concerning cases reviewed by UN experts. Allegations regarding torture, prison conditions and unfair trials are attributed to the relevant sources and are not presented as independently established HRNW findings.
