Tibetan govt-in-exile demands probe into death of religious leader in Chinese custody

The Tibetan government-in-exile based in Dharamshala has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the sudden and mysterious death of Tulku Hungkar Dorje, a prominent Tibetan religious leader, who reportedly died in Chinese custody in Vietnam.

According to a statement released by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Hungkar Rinpoche had been living in hiding in Vietnam since September 2024 due to persistent harassment by Chinese authorities in Tibet. On March 25, he was reportedly arrested from a hotel room in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in a coordinated operation involving local Vietnamese police and Chinese secret agents.

He was transferred to a local public security office on March 28, where he is said to have died under unclear circumstances the same day. The CTA said that the circumstances surrounding his death raise serious concerns about transnational repression, cross-border law enforcement cooperation, and human rights violations.

On April 5, five monks from Hungkar Rinpoche’s monastery, accompanied by Chinese officials, travelled to Vietnam to retrieve his body. A meeting was reportedly held at the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam on the same day, but the Tibetan monks were barred from participating. It remains uncertain whether the monastery delegates were allowed to view the body or if they succeeded in repatriating it to Tibet.

The CTA states that the body is currently being held at Vinmec Central Park International Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and is demanding it be released to Lungnon Monastery for a traditional Tibetan funeral.

The Tibetan government-in-exile further alleged that Hungkar Rinpoche was subjected to political pressure in 2024, including being coerced by the Chinese government to host Gyaltsen Norbu, the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama, at his monastery — a request he reportedly did not fully comply with.

CTA spokesperson Tenzin Lekshay described the incident as a “troubling escalation” in China’s targeted persecution of Tibetan cultural and religious figures. He said that the case illustrates the broader pattern of systematic repression faced by Tibetans, especially those who promote Tibetan identity, language and culture.

“The suspicious death of Tulku Hungkar Dorje highlights the ongoing suppression of human rights in Tibet, where people live under constant fear of arrest for the slightest expression of Tibetan identity,” said Lekshay.

The CTA has appealed to the international community to condemn the mysterious death of Tulku Hungkar Rinpoche, demand full transparency from both Chinese and Vietnamese authorities regarding his detention and death and urge the immediate release of his body to Lungnon monastery to allow for proper religious rites.

The case has sparked widespread concern among Tibetan communities and human rights advocates, underlining the urgent need for accountability, transparency, and *respect for fundamental freedoms in the handling of cross-border detentions and the rights of persecuted religious minorities.