DOCSLIB.ORG

Human Rights Justice in Bhutan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Human Rights Justice in Bhutan HUMAN RIGHTS & JUSTICE IN BHUTAN Shadow Report on First Universal Periodic Review of Bhutan December 2009 Prepared by I. P. Adhikari Raju Thapa HUMAN RIGHTS & JUSTICE IN BHUTAN Shadow Report on First Universal Periodic Review of Bhutan November 2009 Prepared by I. P. Adhikari Raju Thapa Human Rights and Justice in Bhutan Shadow Report on First Universal Periodic Review of Bhutan Publishers: HUMAN RIGHTS WITHOUT FRONTIERS, NEPAL (HRWF NEPAL) WWW.HRWFNEPAL.NET.NP [email protected] & ASSOCIATION OF PRESS FREEDOM ACTIVISTS, BHUTAN (APFA BHUTAN) WWW.APFANEWS.COM [email protected] Date of publication: December, 2009 Printed Copy: 2000 ISBN: 978-9937-2-1976-1 © Jointly held by HRWF NEPAL APFA BHUTAN .......................................................................................................................... Materials from this report can be reproduced, republished and circulated with due acknowledgement of the source. We would appreciate being informed of the use of materials and receiving a copy of the document where possible. ...2... TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface...................................................................................... 05 Acknowledgement......................................................................... 06 LIST OF ACRONYMS................................................................ 07 Some Dzongkha words....................................................... 10 1. Introduction....................................................................... 11 2. Country Information....................................................... 13 2.1 Background................................................................................. 13 2.2 Constitution................................................................................. 13 2.3 Government................................................................................ 14 2.4 Legal System................................................................................ 14 2.5 Languages.................................................................................... 16 2.6 Geography................................................................................... 17 2.7 Population................................................................................... 17 2.8 Gross Domestic Product.......................................................... 18 2.9 Human Development Index..................................................... 18 3. Politics and Reforms....................................................... 19 3.1 Political Institutions................................................................... 19 3.2 Devolution of power................................................................. 20 3.3 Making of the Constitution....................................................... 20 3.4 Political Parties............................................................................ 22 3.5 Elections...................................................................................... 23 3.6 Formation of first elected government................................... 24 3.7 Post election era.......................................................................... 25 4. Commitments for international instruments................ 27 5. National Instruments and Specific Groups.............. 29 5.1 The Constitution........................................................................ 29 5.2 Gross National Happiness........................................................ 30 ...3... TABLE OF CONTENTS 5.3 Legislature.................................................................................... 32 5.4 The judiciary................................................................................ 34 5.5 Media freedom............................................................................ 35 5.6 Civil liberties................................................................................ 37 5.7 Specific Groups.......................................................................... 40 5.7.1 Women........................................................................................ 40 5.7.2 Children...................................................................................... 42 5.7.3 People with disabilities................................................................. 44 5.7.4 The National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC)....... 45 5.7.5 Civil Society Organizations.......................................................... 46 6. Public Awareness on Human Rights......................... 47 7. Royal Bhutan Police (RBP)........................................... 48 8. Bhutan-UN human rights bodies relations.............. 51 9. Challenges.......................................................................... 55 9.1 Poverty......................................................................................... 55 9.2 Problems of Access.................................................................... 55 9.3 Unemployment........................................................................... 55 9.4 Bhutanese refugees..................................................................... 57 9.4.1 Life in camps and resettlement...................................................... 60 9.5 Violence and disappearance...................................................... 61 9.6 Poverty reduction and employment........................................ 65 9.7 Education and Gender.............................................................. 66 9.8 Health........................................................................................... 67 10. State Commitments....................................................... 69 11. Conclusions and recommendations.......................... 70 Annex........................................................................................ 72 1. Some important incidences 2. Bhutan maps 3. Political prisoners in Chemgang jail arrested post 1997 4. Detainees who are charged of being communist cadres ...4... Preface First time in its history, Bhutan is talking human rights with international community. The country that used to advocate for one culture and one tribal group for Bhutan is now in hot seat to talk on rights of minorities, ethnic groups, women, children etc. The Human Rights Council will interrogate this tiny Himalayan kingdom, rarely known the world before, on instruments and programs in the field of protection of human rights of its citizens. In its recent history, the country experienced two mass evictions – one in early 1950s that went unnoticed and the other in 1990s that drew world attention. Bhutan is the only country in world to evict largest number of people in terms of its national population. One fifth of the national population today lives as refugees in Nepal and India. Some of these refugees are being resettled to western countries since 2008. The human rights violations in Bhutan continue despite the country moves into parliamentary democracy last year. To prove that it is defender of human rights, a delegation from Bhutan will speak to world community in Geneva on December 4 without actually mentioning the Bhutanese refugee impasse and the human rights violations in 1990. Initially we have prepared this report as an alternative report on 'First Universal Periodic Review of Bhutan' at Human Rights Council. However, the document was not accepted saying it came very late. Thus, we decided to publish the comprehensive shadow report and it became bulky. We hope this report will help to internationalize the problem of Bhutan and inspire all the freedom fighters to stand in favor of promoting and protecting human rights of minorities in Bhutan. Authors ...5... Acknowledgement The fight for human rights and equality in Bhutan seems to be unending in near future. This report has come out as yet another result of the continuing fight. We are thankful to teams of the Association of Press Freedom Activists, Bhutan and Human Rights Without Frontiers, Nepal for their valuable contributions. Our appreciations also go to Bhutanese friends in exile who are involved in Human Rights Without Frontiers. Our thanks to two friends in Thimphu who gave us valuable information and details about human rights violations. We cannot forget Vidhyapati Mishra (Kathmandu), Durga Giri (Germany), Karma Dupthob (New Delhi), Govinda Rizal (Japan), Manish Thapa and Sreyasa Mainali (CPDS TU) who provided us facts, suggestions and recommendations while preparing this report. We thank Sanjay Kunwar for designing this book. ...6... LIST OF ACRONYMS BICMA Bhutan Information, Communication and Media Authority BBS Bhutan Broadcasting Service BHTF Bhutan Health Trust Fund CCPC Civil and Criminal Procedure Code of Bhutan CDO Chief District Officer CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CHR Commission on Human Rights CPB (MLM) Communist Party of Bhutan (Marxist, Leninists, Maoists) CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child CSO Civil Society Organization DPT Druk Phuensum Tshogpa FYP Five Year Plan GDP Gross Domestic Product GER Gross Enrolment Ratio GNH Gross National Happiness HRC Human Rights Council HRW Human Rights Watch ...7... ICERD International Convention on the Elimination of all form of Racial Discrimination ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross ICT Information and Communications Technology JVT Joint Verification Team (of Nepal and Bhutan) ILO International Labor Organization MDGs Millennium Development Goals MFA Ministry of Foreign
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Mixed-Method Research on Bhutanese
    GURUNG, ANUJ, Ph. D., August 2019 POLITICAL SCIENCE ANATOMY OF RESETTLEMENT: MIXED-METHOD RESEARCH ON BHUTANESE REFUGEES (410 PP.) Dissertation Advisor: Landon E. Hancock This dissertation is a much-needed study of how resettlement impacts refugees. I found the ‘solution’ of resettlement to be promising for some refugees yet restrictive for others. Based on my analysis, Bhutanese refugees interpret their past and present differently in negotiating their place and identity in resettlement. In Akron, many have found stable jobs, started businesses, and are pursuing higher education aspirations. Opportunities in resettlement and their positive self-perception allows these individuals to expand and ‘own’ their new revised identities (e.g. Bhutanese-Nepali), in contrast to the primary socialized identity preferences (i.e. the Bhutanese label) of refugees who find themselves marginalized and dependent in their new environment. At a broader level, I have found the US resettlement policy to be exclusively invested in economic output of refugees with little regard for their socio-cultural adaptation. Given the diversity of refugee experiences and their reasons behind ‘choosing’ resettlement, resettlement policy merits further critical examination and likely a structural revision. Scholars of refugee and immigrant behavior, as well as interested policy makers will find this work highly pertinent. In this study, I used ethnographic research—interviews and field observations—centered on Bhutanese refugees; I also employed a limited statistical examination of refugee migration patterns in the US. i ANATOMY OF RESETTLEMENT: MIXED-METHOD RESEARCH ON BHUTANESE REFUGEES A dissertation submitted to Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Anuj Gurung August 2019 © Copyright All rights reserved Except for previously published materials ii Dissertation written by Anuj Gurung B.A.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion, Refugees, and Diaspora Communities in the United States May 2016 WORLD FAITHS DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE DEVELOPMENT FAITHS WORLD
    Religion, Refugees, and Diaspora Communities in the United States May 2016 WORLD FAITHS DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE DEVELOPMENT FAITHS WORLD In partnership with the Pluralism Project at Harvard University Acknowledgments everal people from both the World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD) and the Pluralism Project at Harvard University contributed to this study at various stages. S Katherine Marshall, executive director of WFDD, and Dr. Diana Eck, director of the Pluralism Project, served as the senior faculty advisors for the study. Crystal Corman, WFDD program manager, coordinated partnership with the Pluralism Project, edited this report, and contributed to project design and direction. WFDD research assistant Sarah Radomsky, a student at Georgetown University, conducted background research, drafting the introduction and literature review of this report. The pilot study field research was overseen by the Pluralism Project at Harvard University and was the result of collaboration between scholars and students from several institutions. In Utica, Dr. S. Brent Plate served as the lead researcher and senior advisor for a research team of three students, one graduate, and two undergraduate: Retika Rajbhandari, Shannon Boley, and Emmett Potts, respectively. Anna Lee White, a recent grad- uate of Mount Holyoke College, conducted the majority of the field research in Manchester and Nashua, New Hampshire. Pluralism Project research associate Mary Kate Long provided additional research assistance, including field research in Massachusetts and initial data analysis. Pluralism Project research associate Margaret Krueger assisted with data compilation on reli- gious centers.1 Pluralism Project research director Elinor Pierce provided research guidelines; Pluralism Project assistant director Whittney Barth facilitated this pilot study and contributed to the writing of this report.
    [Show full text]
  • The Kingdom of Bhutan
    Updated March 23, 2020 The Kingdom of Bhutan Background were best served by elected leaders. The first election went The Kingdom of Bhutan, also known as the Land of the smoothly in 2008, and the second, in 2013, brought a Thunder Dragon, is a small, landlocked Himalayan country situated between India and China. The mountainous Figure 1.Bhutan in Brief kingdom is about half the size of Indiana, with an estimated population of 782,000, approximately 115,000 of them in and around the capital city, Thimphu. Bhutan’s economy has grown primarily as a result of hydropower, agriculture, and forestry development. The United States has no significant trade relations with Bhutan, and its foreign aid mission and bilateral consular affairs are handled by the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan visited Bhutan in August, 2019. Bhutan has participated in a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) regional program for South Asia directed at developing power infrastructure, and it has implemented programs intended to help mitigate some of the effects of climate change. With 70% forest cover and extensive hydropower, Bhutan is a carbon negative country. The Constitution, Elections, and the King The constitution of Bhutan establishes three branches of Source: CIA World Factbook, Economist Intelligence Unit, Media government: legislative, executive, and judicial. The bicameral legislature, or Chi Tshog, includes the National Assembly (Tshogdu), with 47 elected representatives, and peaceful transition of power in which the opposition the National Council (Gyelyong Tshongde), with 25 People’s Democratic Party won 32 of the 42 elected members, 5 of which are selected by the king.
    [Show full text]
  • Development and Its Impacts on Traditional Dispute Resolution in Bhutan
    Washington University Journal of Law & Policy Volume 63 New Directions in Domestic and International Dispute Resolution 2020 Formalizing the Informal: Development and its Impacts on Traditional Dispute Resolution in Bhutan Stephan Sonnenberg Seoul National University School of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_journal_law_policy Part of the Comparative and Foreign Law Commons, and the Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Commons Recommended Citation Stephan Sonnenberg, Formalizing the Informal: Development and its Impacts on Traditional Dispute Resolution in Bhutan, 63 WASH. U. J. L. & POL’Y 143 (2020), https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_journal_law_policy/vol63/iss1/11 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law School at Washington University Open Scholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Journal of Law & Policy by an authorized administrator of Washington University Open Scholarship. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FORMALIZING THE INFORMAL: DEVELOPMENT AND ITS IMPACTS ON TRADITIONAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION IN BHUTAN Stephan Sonnenberg* INTRODUCTION Bhutan is a small landlocked country with less than a million inhabitants, wedged between the two most populous nations on earth, India and China.1 It is known for its stunning Himalayan mountain ranges and its national development philosophy of pursuing “Gross National Happiness” (GNH).2 This paper argues, however, that Bhutan should also be known for its rich heritage of traditional dispute resolution. That system kept the peace in Bhutanese villages for centuries: the product of Bhutan’s unique history and its deep (primarily Buddhist) spiritual heritage. Sadly, these traditions are today at risk of extinction, victims—it is argued below—of Bhutan’s extraordinary process of modernization.
    [Show full text]
  • General Assembly Distr
    UNITED NATIONS A General Assembly Distr. LIMITED A/HRC/WG.6/6/L.10 8 December 2009 Original: ENGLISH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review Sixth session Geneva, 30 November -11 December 2009 Advance unedited version DRAFT REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP ON THE UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW* Bhutan * The final document will be issued under symbol number A/HRC/13/11. The annex to the present report is circulated as received. GE.09- A/HRC/WG.6/6/L.10 Page 2 CONTENTS Paragraphs Page Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 - 4 3 I. SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE REVIEW PROCESS ... 5 - 82 3 A. Presentation by the State under review .......................................... 5 - 23 3 B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review ....... 24 - 100 5 II. CONCLUSIONS AND/OR RECOMMENDATIONS .............................. 101 - 102 15 Annex Composition of the delegation ......................................................................... 25 GE.09- A/HRC/WG.6/6/L.10 Page 3 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its sixth session from 30 November to 11 December 2009. The review of Bhutan was held at the 10th meeting on 4 December 2009. The delegation of Bhutan was headed by H.E. Mr. Lyonpo Kinzang Dorji, Former Prime Minister and Special Envoy of the Prime Minister. At its meeting held on 8 December 2009, the Working Group adopted the present report on Bhutan. 2. On 7 September 2009, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Bhutan: India, Madagascar, and Uruguay.
    [Show full text]
  • Nationalism and Regional Relations in Democratic Transitions: Comparing Nepal and Bhutan
    Wright State University CORE Scholar Browse all Theses and Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 2018 Nationalism and Regional Relations in Democratic Transitions: Comparing Nepal and Bhutan Deki Peldon Wright State University Follow this and additional works at: https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/etd_all Part of the International Relations Commons Repository Citation Peldon, Deki, "Nationalism and Regional Relations in Democratic Transitions: Comparing Nepal and Bhutan" (2018). Browse all Theses and Dissertations. 1981. https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/etd_all/1981 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at CORE Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Browse all Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of CORE Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NATIONALISM AND REGIONAL RELATIONS IN DEMOCRATIC TRANSITIONS: COMPARING NEPAL AND BHUTAN A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts By DEKI PELDON Bachelor of Arts, Asian University for Women, 2014 2018 Wright State University WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL [May 4, 2018] I HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER MY SUPERVISION BY DEKI PELDON ENTITLED NATIONALISM AND REGIONAL RELATIONS IN DEMOCRATIC TRANSITIONS: COMPARING NEPAL AND BHUTAN BE ACCEPTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS. Laura M. Luehrmann, Ph.D. Thesis Director Laura M. Luehrmann, Ph.D. Director, Master of Arts Program in International and Comparative Politics Committee on Final Examination: Laura M. Luehrmann, Ph.D. School of Public and International Affairs Pramod Kantha, Ph.D. School of Public and International Affairs Judson Murray, Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 “We Don't Want to Be Refugees Again” a Human Rights Watch Briefing Paper for the Fourteenth Ministerial Joint Committee
    Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Ave, 34th Floor New York, NY 10118 Phone: 212-216-1841 Fax: 212-736-1300 mail: [email protected] Website:http://www.hrw.org/women/ “We Don’t Want to Be Refugees Again” A Human Rights Watch Briefing Paper for the Fourteenth Ministerial Joint Committee of Bhutan and Nepal, May 19, 2003 “Bhutan is my motherland. I don’t want to stay here, even though we have the aid of other countries.” – Seventy-year-old man, Khudanabari refugee camp in Nepal. I. Summary...........................................................................................................................1 II. Background .....................................................................................................................3 History of the Bhutanese Refugee Situation in Nepal..........................................................3 Forced Expulsions, Refugee Flight, and the Right to Return...............................................5 III. The Status Verification Process ......................................................................................7 Categorization ....................................................................................................................8 Verification’s Potential Pitfalls: Deprivation of Nationality and Statelessness..................10 IV. Pre-conditions for Voluntary Repatriation ....................................................................11 Introduction .....................................................................................................................11
    [Show full text]
  • National-Assembly-Ac
    TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page PREAMBLE 1 CHAPTER 1: PRELIMINARY 1 SHORT TITLE , COMMENCEMENT AND EXTENT 1 PROCEDURE IN UNPROVIDED CASES 2 INTERPRETATION CLAUSE 2 REPEAL 2 CHAPTER 2: THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 2 CHAPTER 3: MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 3 DISQUALIFICATION 4 ELECTION OF DISQUALIFIED PERSONS 5 RESIGNATION 5 VACANCY 6 BY-ELECTION 6 CHAPTER 4: MEETING OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SUBSEQUENT TO GENERAL ELECTION 7 SUMMONS TO MEMBERS 7 ELECTION CERTIFICATE 7 OATH OR AFFIRMATION OF OFFICE 8 ORDER OF SITTING 8 i ROLL OF MEMBERS 8 CHAPTER 5: ARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS 8 ORDER OF BUSINESS 8 AGENDA 9 CHAPTER 6: SPEAKER AND DEPUTY SPEAKER 9 ELECTION OF SPEAKER AND DEPUTY SPEAKER 9 CHAPTER 7: ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MEMBERS 10 DEDICATION 10 PUBLIC DUTY 10 DUTY AS A REPRESENTATIVE 11 OFFICIAL SECRECY 11 DUTY TO ATTEND MEETINGS 11 DUTIES OF DISCLOSURE 11 CHAPTER 8: SITTINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 13 SESSION 13 EXTRAORDINARY SESSION 13 OPENING AND CONCLUDING CEREMONY 13 ADDRESS BY THE DRUK GYALPO 14 QUORUM 14 ATTENDANCE 14 REQUEST FOR LEAVE AND ABSENCE 14 ii LANGUAGE IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 14 ACCESS OF PUBLIC TO ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 15 POWER OF THE HOUSE TO COMPEL ATTENDANCE AND PRODUCTION 15 CHAPTER 9: MESSAGES 16 MESSAGE FROM THE DRUK GYALPO 16 MOTION OF THANKS 16 MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL COUNCIL 16 CHAPTER 10: RULES OF DEBATE AND MAINTENANCE OF ORDER IN THE HOUSE 17 MEMBER TO ADDRESS CHAIR 17 CALLING OF MEMBERS 17 TIME LIMIT FOR SPEECHES 18 REFERENCE TO MEMBER BY NAME 18 REFLECTIONS UPON JUDGES AND OTHERS 18 MATTERS SUB JUDICE 19 IRRELEVANCE
    [Show full text]
  • Nepal: Trapped by Inequality
    Human Rights Watch September 2003 BHUTAN/NEPAL Trapped by Inequality: Bhutanese Refugee Women in Nepal TABLE OF CONTENTS MAP 1: Nepal and Bhutan............................................................................................................................................ 3 MAP 2: Location of Bhutanese Refugee Camps in Nepal ...................................................................................... 4 GLOSSARY..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 I. SUMMARY................................................................................................................................................................. 8 II. RECOMMENDATIONS....................................................................................................................................... 12 To the Government of Nepal................................................................................................................................... 12 To the Government of Bhutan................................................................................................................................. 13 To the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ...................................... 13 To Humanitarian Aid Agencies .............................................................................................................................. 15 To the United Nations Children’s
    [Show full text]
  • Learning to Be Refugees: the Bhutanese in Nepal and Australia
    Learning to be Refugees: The Bhutanese in Nepal and Australia Alice Marie Neikirk December 2015 A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of The Australian National University. ii I hereby certify that this is a piece of original work, produced solely by the author. Alice Marie Neikirk 21 December 2015 iii iv Acknowledgements In memory of Cynthia Jane Neikirk This thesis would not have been possible without Dr Patrick Guinness’s steadfast guidance. His faith, not only that this thesis would be completed but his insistence that it could be improved, strengthened, and honed saw me through many dark days. He consistently challenged me to critically analyse many things that I would have been overlooked in my exuberance for fieldwork. Further, he patiently allowed a toddler to run wild in his office when I needed to meet but could not arrange childcare. Thank you for guiding me through the ethnographic process. The two members of my panel, Dr Francesca Merlan and Dr Sverre Molland, provided guidance at crucial junctures of the thesis. Francesca provided key feedback early in the writing process, reminding me that description is only one part of ethnographic writing. Sverre recommended a text that proved invaluable and fundamentally changed the direction of the thesis. Christina Alexander, Professor Emeritus, also deserves a special mention for introducing me to what would become my life’s passion: anthropology. Dr. Fiona McCormack further challenged me to focus that passion by critically engaging with anthropological theory. The people that shared their time, stories, and experiences with me both in Nepal and Australia are too numerous to list.
    [Show full text]
  • General Assembly GENERAL
    UNITED NATIONS A Distr. General Assembly GENERAL A/HRC/WG.6/6/BTN/3 8 September 2009 Original: ENGLISH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review Sixth session Geneva, 30 November-11 December 2009 SUMMARY PREPARED BY THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 15 (C) OF THE ANNEX TO HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL RESOLUTION 5/1 Bhutan* The present report is a summary of six stakeholders’ submissions1 to the universal periodic review. It follows the structure of the general guidelines adopted by the Human Rights Council. It does not contain any opinions, views or suggestions on the part of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), nor any judgement or determination in relation to specific claims. The information included herein has been systematically referenced in endnotes and, to the extent possible, the original texts have not been altered. Lack of information or focus on specific issues may be due to the absence of submissions by stakeholders regarding these particular issues. The full texts of all submissions received are available on the OHCHR website. The report has been prepared taking into consideration the four-year periodicity of the first cycle of the review. * The present document was not edited before being sent to the United Nations translation services. GE.09- A/HRC/WG.6/6/BTN/3 Page 2 I. BACKGROUND AND FRAMEWORK Constitutional and legislative framework 1. Bhutanese Refugee Support Group (BRSG) stated that according to article 9.24 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan, which came into force in 2008, the state undertakes to foster respect for international law and treaty obligations.
    [Show full text]
  • Bhutan's Constitution of 2008
    PDF generated: 26 Aug 2021, 16:19 constituteproject.org Bhutan's Constitution of 2008 This complete constitution has been generated from excerpts of texts from the repository of the Comparative Constitutions Project, and distributed on constituteproject.org. constituteproject.org PDF generated: 26 Aug 2021, 16:19 Table of contents Preamble . 4 Article 1: Kingdom of Bhutan . 4 Article 2: The Institution of Monarchy . 4 Article 3: Spiritual Heritage . 8 Article 4: Culture . 9 Article 5: Environment . 9 Article 6: Citizenship . 10 Article 7: Fundamental Rights . 10 Article 8: Fundamental Duties . 12 Article 9: Principles of State Policy . 12 Article 10: Parliament . 14 Article 11: The National Council . 15 Article 12: The National Assembly . 16 Article 13: Passing of Bills . 16 Article 14: Finance, Trade and Commerce . 17 Article 15: Political Parties . 17 Article 16: Public Campaign Financing . 19 Article 17: Formation of Government . 20 Article 18: The Opposition Party . 20 Article 19: Interim Government . 20 Article 20: The Executive . 21 Article 21: The Judiciary . 22 Article 22: Local Governments . 23 Article 23: Elections . 25 Article 24: Election Commission . 26 Article 25: The Royal Audit Authority . 27 Article 26: The Royal Civil Service Commission . 27 Article 27: The Anti-Corruption Commission . 28 Article 28: Defence . 28 Article 29: The Attorney General . 29 Article 30: The Pay Commission . 29 Article 31: Holders of Constitutional Offices . 29 Article 32: Impeachment . 30 Bhutan 2008 Page 2 constituteproject.org PDF generated: 26 Aug 2021, 16:19 Article 33: Emergency . 30 Article 34: National Referendum . 31 Article 35: Amendment & Authoritative Text . 31 Schedule 1: The National Flag and the National Emblem of Bhutan .
    [Show full text]