Bhutan
Wednesday 28.9.2022 Bhutan - Latest Developments -
Bhutan court throws out defamation case but denies compensation
In May 2022, The Thimphu District Court acquitted Penjore, a private individual, of defamation charges filed by the police. He had been accused of defaming the Office of the Attorney General through a Facebook post. There are continued challenges to press freedom, freedom of assembly is restricted and controls over NGO operations Read more
Wednesday 27.4.2022 Bhutan - Latest Developments -
Bhutan foresters punished for speaking to media while political prisoners languish in detention
Bhutan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forests issued a compulsory retirement order to two of its staff after they were seen speaking with members of the media. The Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) has renewed its call for the early release of Bhutanese political prisoners Read more
Friday 23.7.2021 Bhutan - Latest Developments -
Media independence, access to information and self-censorship of NGOs still an issue in Bhutan
There continue to be concerns about media independence, access to information and the chilling effect of defamation laws on journalists. Further, according to reports, NGOs continue to self-censor and avoid issues perceived as sensitive by the government. Read more
Wednesday 17.2.2021 Bhutan - Latest Developments -
Major victory for LGBT+ community as Bhutan parliament decriminalises homosexuality
On 10th December 2020, a joint sitting of both houses of Bhutan’s parliament approved a bill to decriminalise same-sex relations. Sections 213 and 214 of the penal code had criminalised “unnatural sex”, widely interpreted as homosexuality. Read more
Thursday 29.10.2020 Bhutan - Latest Developments -
International watchdog rates Bhutan’s status as ‘partly free’
According to the international NGO Freedom House 2020 report Bhutan has made significant strides toward becoming a consolidated democracy, has held multiple credible elections and undergone transfers of power to opposition parties. However, ongoing problems include discrimination against Nepali-speaking and non-Buddhist minorities, media self-censorship and, increasingly, the use of libel and defamation cases to silence journalists. Read more
Monday 20.4.2020 Bhutan - Latest Developments -
Demands for release of political prisoners in Bhutan
There have been appeals for the release of political prisoners detained in the 1990s who may have not had a fair trial. A new report highlighted concerns about press freedom in Bhutan while there has been still no agreement in parliament around the repealing of laws criminalising same-sex relations Read more
Wednesday 17.7.2019 Bhutan - Latest Developments -
Bhutan urged to repeal criminal defamation laws during Human Right Council review
In April 2019, Bhutan’s press freedom rankings improved while in May 2019 the country’s human rights record was reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council where there were calls for the government to reviews its defamation laws. In June 2019, parliament made a positive move by voting to decriminalize homosexuality. Read more
Monday 18.3.2019 Bhutan - Latest Developments -
Lhotshampa minority remain displaced and their electoral rights restricted
While the elections in 2018 and the formation of a third new government since the introduction of democracy in 2008 has been seen as positive for the country, the Lhotshampa minority group continued to be denied any engagement with the election process. Read more
Monday 17.9.2018 Bhutan - Latest Developments -
Bhutanese journalist exposing child abuse convicted for defamation
A Bhutanese journalist was sentenced to three months imprisonment in August for libel for a post that she written on her personal Facebook about a woman who had allegedly ill-treated her six-year old step daughter Read more
