By Tula Sahayatri Dhakal

The Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) held a peaceful protest Saturday, June 8, 2024, at the Harrisburg State Capitol Complex in Pennsylvania, USA demanding the release of political prisoners in Bhutan.

More than 30 prominent figures in the Bhutanese community in America participated in the peaceful protest, including local politicians, particularly those from the city of Harrisburg.

“The Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB), since its formation in 2019, has continuously advocated for the safe and timely release of all Bhutanese prisoners,” said GCRPPB Coordinator Ram Karki.

“The prisoners also urged the US government and the international community to pressure Bhutan to respect the human rights of its citizens and release its political prisoners without further delay.”

“The GCRPPB in The Hague is determined to advocate until every Bhutanese political prisoner is released and reunited with their families with dignity and will not hesitate to organize such rallies in all important cities of the world, including Washington DC. New York, Geneva, The Hague, Brussels and others,” said GCRPPB Coordinator CM Niraula.

The city’s top political leaders, including Benjamin Martin, regional director of Senator Bob Casey’s office, Swatara Township Commissioner Tom Connolly and Swatara Township Commissioner Steele, have joined the protest and supported it.

In his speech, Swatara Township Commissioner Tom Connolly said that he supports the freedom of Bhutanese political prisoners and ready to do whatever it takes to achieve this goal.

Also, Bhutanese social activists Om Prakash Adhikari, Til Bahadur Gurung, youth leaders Ashika Dhourali, Vishal Upreti, Divya Chauhan and Ayushma Neupane highlighted the issue of Bhutanese human rights violations and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all Bhutanese political prisoners.

The youth coordinators of GCRPPB Ashika Dhourali, Vishal Upreti, Divya Chauhan and Ayushma Neupane expressed their commitment for the justice of those political prisoners.

They urged every youth of the Bhutanese community around the world to participate in this peaceful fight against injustice in Bhutan.

“We will not rest until Bhutanese political prisoners are released and rehabilitated with dignity.” Bhutanese former political prisoner Vishwanath Chhetri, senior leader of Bhutanese human rights, Narad Adhikari, Bhutanese scholars Dr. Narad Pokharel and Madhav Sharma, president of the Bhutanese community in Harrisburg, Mr. Tilak Niroula, prominent Bhutanese leaders in the city were present.

In the early 1990s, thousands of Bhutanese citizens, mostly Nepali-speaking Bhutanese, were forcibly evicted after peaceful protests to establish human rights and justice in Bhutan failed.

However, some activists were arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. Similarly, until 2008, others were arrested for engaging in peaceful political activities such as distributing political leaflets, exchanging ideas and engaging in other political activities.

In its report, Human Rights Watch verified 35 Bhutanese political prisoners in various prisons in Bhutan detained in Chemgang Central Prison in Thimphu and Rabuna Army Prison in Wangdiphodrang District.

The whereabouts of several senior human rights activists such as Mr. Loknath Acharya, Mr. Bam Bahadur Tiwari and Mr. Kul Bahadur Basnet who were arrested by the Bhutanese security forces are still unknown.

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