Two Bhutanese Political Prisoners Released After More Than 18 Years

Two Bhutanese political prisoners, Chaturman Tamang and Hasta Bahadur Rai, were released from Chamgang Central Prison on 1 June 2026 after serving more than 18 years in detention. Their release followed a royal pardon granted by His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. After their release, the two men were reportedly taken to India without being provided with identity documents or official release papers. They were later refused entry into Nepal because they could not prove their identity, and are currently staying with relatives in India. The Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB), in partnership with Human Rights Watch, whose consistent advocacy led to these releases, welcomed the releases, describing them as a positive, long-awaited development. The organisation said it remains concerned about the men’s situation and called for steps to ensure their safety and freedom of movement. GCRPPB also renewed its call for the release of the remaining 28 Bhutanese political prisoners and urged the Bhutanese authorities to take further humanitarian measures to address the issue. The post Two Bhutanese Political Prisoners Released After More Than 18 Years appeared first on Bhutan News Network .