The Hague: The Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) has demanded fair probe on the ‘mysterious’ death of Sha Bahadur Gurung, one of the remaining 31 political prisoners in Bhutan. Gurung died on 15 December 2025 in his prison cell at Chamgang Central Prison in Thimphu under circumstances that raise serious concerns about custodial negligence and long-term abuse.
Sha Bahadur Gurung, aged 65 and originally from Chirang, Bhutan, was arrested in 1990 while serving in the Royal Bhutan Army. He was detained over allegations related to his participation in a peaceful demonstration and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment. For more than three decades, he was primarily held at Rabuna Prison in Wangdhi Phodrang District, a facility widely associated with harsh detention conditions.
According to information provided by Gurung’s relatives in the United States and other credible sources, he endured prolonged physical and psychological abuse during his imprisonment. It is alleged that he was repeatedly subjected to torture and inhumane treatment by security personnel. His relatives further report that he had been told orders had been issued for his death, but they prefer to kill him gradually through sustained mistreatment while in custody. They believe that decades of abuse and neglect severely damaged his health and ultimately led to his death.
In early December 2025, due to deteriorating health, Gurung was transferred from Rabuna Prison to Chamgang Central Prison, where he had been held since 10 December 2025.
According to accounts from his relatives and other reports, on the evening of 14 December 2025, Gurung had dinner and went to bed without showing any visible signs of distress. On the morning of 15 December 2025, he was found unconscious in his cell, reportedly lying almost lifeless.
Police on duty were informed immediately. However, the same sources report that authorities failed to respond promptly. By the time he was taken to a nearby health post, he was reportedly already lifeless. He was later referred to a hospital in Thimphu, apparently to suggest he had been alive during transfer, when in fact he had already died before leaving the prison.
Gurung’s death occurred just two days before Bhutan’s National Day on 17 December 2025, a period when families, supporters, and human rights advocates worldwide had hoped for the release of political prisoners through a royal amnesty marking Bhutan’s 118th National Day. Instead, the death of one of the longest-serving political prisoners has caused widespread grief, anger, and alarm. According to his relatives, this tragedy represents the culmination of decades of abuse and neglect while in state custody.
The Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) has said this mysterious death raises serious questions about the treatment of political prisoners in Bhutan. It has also called on the Government of Bhutan to immediately initiate a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation by an independent external inquiry, full public disclosure of its findings, and adequate compensation for his family for their irreparable loss. GCRPPB has also said Sha Bahadur Gurung should be officially recognized as a Bhutanese martyr who sacrificed his life for the cause of human rights and justice in Bhutan. Meanwhile, the organization has renewed its appeal for the unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners in Bhutan and called on the international community, human rights organisations, and diplomatic missions to closely monitor the situation and take appropriate action.
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