Bhutan’s Imprisoned Democracy Activists Deserve A Royal Pardon: Calls for King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to Free Political Prisoners

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan is scheduled to attend the coronation of King Charles III in London on May 6, 2023. As the king of Bhutan, he should use his authority to release the political prisoners who have been detained and held in poor conditions for decades following unfair trials. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have appealed to King Jigme to release these prisoners, especially since Bhutan has been promoting itself as an enlightened kingdom promoting “Gross National Happiness.” Of the 37 known cases of political prisoners in Bhutan, the longest-serving have been in prison since 1990, and many were sentenced to life without parole.

Political prisoners’ plight in Bhutan

Most of these political prisoners who have been held for years were accused of opposing discriminatory policies and rights violations targeting Bhutan’s Nepali speaking community, which faced persecution in the 1990s. Torture was a common practice, and the prisoners had no access to defense lawyers during their arrest and trial. Additionally, these prisoners are reportedly given inadequate food, heating, and bedding in a generally cold climate and are denied regular communications or visits from their families. Some of these prisoners had been convicted of “terrorism,” but they were accused of “actions that appeared… to be unrelated to terrorism.”

The role of the King of Bhutan

Under the Bhutanese constitution, only the king has the power to grant early release from prison. Therefore, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are calling on King Jigme to release these prisoners without delay, alleviate their suffering, and that of their families. The king could grant kidu (relief), amnesty, pardon, reduction of sentences, and clemency to the political prisoners. The Sentencing Guideline of the Judiciary of Bhutan states that an offender “sentenced to life in prison shall remain in prison until he or she dies or until pardoned or otherwise commuted to a fixed period or receives Royal pardon, amnesty, or clemency.”

The need for compassion and the closing of a chapter

King Jigme’s predecessor, Jigme Singye Wangchuk, granted amnesty to 40 political prisoners, including some serving life sentences in 1999. Amidst Bhutan‘s democratic reforms and modernization efforts, these political prisoners were handed unfair trials that condemned them to spend the rest of their lives behind bars. The king has the authority to show compassion and to put an end to this practice by freeing the prisoners. By not doing so, Bhutan‘s enlightened image will be tarnished. Therefore, there is an urgent need to review the cases of these prisoners to determine if their conviction was based on due processes, granting them a chance to be freed.

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