The Hague  —

Four United Nations experts have sought information from the governments of Bhutan and India regarding the whereabouts of Lok Nath Acharya, a Bhutanese human rights activist, who remains ‘missing’ for the last 11 years.

Ms Mary Lowler,  UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders,  has sent separate letters to the governments of Bhutan and India enquiring them regarding whereabouts of Mr Acharya, a Nepali speaking Bhutanese human rights defender.

Mr. Acharya, a refugee belonging to the Nepali-speaking, Bhutanese ethnic minority evicted from Bhutan in the early 1990s, was a member of the Human Rights Organization of Bhutan. From exile, he worked to document and raise awareness about Bhutan’s human rights situation. On 16 October 2014, he traveled to West Bengal, India, reportedly to attend a human rights meeting. There, he was detained and subsequently extradited to Bhutan by plain-clothed individuals believed to be Royal Bhutan Police officers. Since then, his whereabouts are unknown. To this day, his family remain in uncertainty, still awaiting his safe return. 

In her letter, Ms Lowler has formally requested information regarding the circumstances surrounding Mr. Acharya’s detention in India, his subsequent extradition to Bhutan, and his enforced disappearance. She has further asked the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB) to outline any investigative actions undertaken to establish Mr. Acharya’s whereabouts, also seeking updates regarding his physical and psychological condition. Should Mr. Acharya be held in custody, the Rapporteur requested the RGOB to provide legal grounds for his detention, ensuring the measures comply with international human rights standards. Finally, she has urged the RGOB to disclose any information taken to coordinate with other States allegedly involved in Mr. Acharya’s detention, subsequent extradition, and enforced disappearance.   

In an official statement, Ms Lowler expressed her concerns over Mr. Acharya’s case, noting the fear that he was targeted because of “his human rights activities in Bhutan and outside the country.” 

The Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB),  a civil-society organization advocating for the release of 32 identified Bhutanese political prisoners, continues to work closely with UN human rights mechanisms, including the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, to which Mr. Acharya’s case has now been formally transmitted. 

“GCRPPB maintains that continued lobbying efforts with international human rights mechanisms, including UN Special Procedures, contribute to increasing global pressure on the RGOB. Such efforts are intended to encourage the RGOB to strengthen its human rights record and improve its international standing. We urge the RGOB and His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to lean into international communications in good faith, by cooperating transparently with UN inquiries and upholding international human rights standards with a genuine commitment to human rights for all individuals,” said Ram Karki, Founder and Global Coordinator of GCRPPB.

Earlier this year, GCRPPB initiated engagement with Ms. Lowlor’s office, following referrals from the U.S. Department of State. In collaboration with Ms. Srijana Acharya, daughter of Mr. Lok Nath Acharya, Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan  (GCRPPB) submitted a formal report detailing his case, a statement said.