Disappearance of Bhutanese Human Rights Defender Lok Nath Acharya

Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB)
The Hague, The Netherlands
27 June 2025

PRESS RELEASE

Four UN Human Rights Experts Jointly Expressed Deep Concern Over the 2014 Disappearance of Bhutanese Human Rights Defender Lok Nath Acharya The Hague, The Netherlands — 27 June 2025
In a significant show of international solidarity, four United Nations human rights experts have
jointly raised alarm over the unresolved disappearance of Mr. Lok Nath Acharya, a prominent
Nepali-speaking Bhutanese human rights defender, who went missing in 2014.

The following UN experts have taken coordinated action in the case:

Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
Matthew Gillett, Vice-Chair on Communications, UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Gabriella Citroni, Chair-Rapporteur, UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary
DisappearancesIrene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom ofopinion and expression In a joint communication , the experts formally contacted the governments of Bhutan and India , urging them to provide concrete information regarding the fate and whereabouts of Mr. Acharya.

The action follows sustained advocacy by the Global Campaign for the Release of Political
Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB), in collaboration with Ms. Srijana Acharya, daughter of the
disappeared human rights defender. Earlier this year, GCRPPB submitted a comprehensive report
to the UN Special Rapporteurs, following a referral from the U.S. Department of State.

Mr. Acharya was a vocal advocate for the rights of Bhutan’s Nepali-speaking ethnic minority,
tens of thousands of whom were forcibly expelled from Bhutan in the early 1990s. As a member
of the Human Rights Organization of Bhutan, he worked in exile to document and expose human
rights violations in Bhutan.

On 16 October 2014, Mr. Acharya traveled to West Bengal, India, to attend a human rights
meeting. He was reportedly detained there and forcibly extradited to Bhutan by individuals

believed to be members of the Royal Bhutan Police. Since that time, his whereabouts have
remained unknown, and no formal acknowledgment of his detention has been made by
Bhutanese authorities.

More than a decade later, his family—especially his daughter Srijana—remains in anguished
uncertainty, still hoping for answers, justice, and his safe return.

Responding to GCRPPB’s continued lobbying, the four UN experts jointly issued an urgent
communication to the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB), calling for clarity and
accountability. The communication requests:

• Information on any investigations undertaken to determine his fate or location
• Updates on his health, safety, and psychological well-being
• Legal justifications for any detention, in compliance with international human rights
  standards
• Disclosure of any cross-border cooperation between Bhutan and other states in connection to Mr. Acharya’s disappearance In a public statement , Ms. Mary Lawlor emphasized concerns that Mr. Acharya may have been targeted specifically because of his human rights activities, both within Bhutan and abroad.
  Mr. Acharya’s case has also been formally submitted to the UN Working Group on Enforced or
  Involuntary Disappearances, as part of GCRPPB’s broader strategy to mobilize international
  attention and accountability.
• 
  “This joint action by four UN experts demonstrates that the international community is watching
  and demanding answers. It is imperative that Bhutan and India respond with transparency and
  integrity.”
• 
  GCRPPB reiterates its call for the Royal Government of Bhutan and His Majesty King Jigme
  Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to engage constructively with UN mechanisms, uphold the rule of
  law, and commit to protecting the rights and dignity of all individuals—regardless of political
  opinion or ethnic background.
• 
  Note to Editors:
  The Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) is a civil
  society organization dedicated to securing the release of 32 documented Bhutanese political
  prisoners who have been held for decades under harsh and opaque conditions. Guided by four
  strategic pillars—awareness, public solidarity, international pressure, and negotiation—GCRPPB
  partners with local and international stakeholders to promote justice and human rights in Bhutan.
  UN Special Rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to
  investigate and report on specific human rights issues. Operating under the Special Procedures

mechanism, their mandates are among the strongest tools the international community has to
hold states accountable for violations.

Ram Karki
Founder and Global Coordinator
GCRPPB
www.gcrppb.org
[email protected]

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