Free Panchen Lama

Where is the Panchen Lama?

25 years ago, six year old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was kidnapped by the Chinese government after he’d been recognised as the Tibet’s 11th Panchen Lama.

Gedhun Choekyi Nyima became the world’s youngest political prisoner and has not been seen since. He is now 31 years old.

Since his abduction and disappearance in 1995, the Chinese government has repeatedly dismissed requests for his release and for full disclosure about the Panchen Lama’s location and well-being.

Kidnapped by the Chinese government at six years old, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima hasn’t been seen for 25 years. 

JOIN the VIRTUAL PROTEST and ‘gather’ at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Tibet to call for his immediate release.

It is easy! Just add your name and message and your own pin will be added to the virtual protest map. 

If you have you’re own Gmail address you can add your own protester

and follow the simple steps

JOIN THE ACTION: Take part in 25 Actions for 25 Years – between now and May 2021 – to build more awareness about his important case.

By taking two simple actions every month you will build more awareness about his Gedhun Choekyi Nyima’s case, and help press for his release.

The Panchen Lama Today

The Panchen Lama (Tib: པཎ་ཆེན་རེན་པོ་ཆེ།) is one of the most important religious leaders in Tibet. The 10th Panchen Lama, a vocal advocate of Tibet cultural and identity, and he passed away mysteriously in 1989.

In 1995 Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama.

Just weeks later, on 17 May, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was ‘removed’ from his home by Chinese authorities, along with his family; he was just six years old.

in 2019 a forensic image of what Gedhun Choekyi Nyima might look today was been produced by a forensic artist, Tim Widden, who has worked on a number of missing people cases as part of the UK National Crime Agency.

Urge World Leaders to take action for
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima

25 years ago, six year old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was kidnapped by the Chinese government after he’d been recognised as the Tibet’s 11th Panchen Lama; he became the world’s youngest political prisoner and had not been seen since.

He is now 31 years old.

Since his disappearance the Chinese government has repeatedly dismissed requests for full disclosure about his and his family’s location and well-being, and all appeals for his release have to date been rejected.

TAKE ACTION: Urge G7 Leaders to demand information about Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and call on China for his immediate release.

Panchen Lama kidnap

Resources

Dear Panchen Lama

25 years on, the search continues

Learn More

10th panchen-lama

Chöekyi Gyaltsen, the 10th Panchen Lama 1938 – 1989

The Panchen Lama (Tib: པཎ་ཆེན་རེན་པོ་ཆེ།) is one of the most important religious leaders in Tibet. The 10th Panchen Lama, a vocal advocate of Tibet cultural and identity until he passed away mysteriously in 1989. In 1995 Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama.

Just weeks later, on 17 May, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was ‘removed’ from his home by Chinese authorities, along with his family; he was just six years old.

Show more background information
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was 6 years old in 1995 when he was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, one of Tibet most important religious leaders.

He was born on April 25, 1989 in central Tibet. As soon as he was recognized as the 11th Panchen Lama, Chinese authorities took him and his family into custody. Few other people, particularly Chadral Rinpoche, the head of the search party was arrested and sentenced for leaking his information to the Dalai Lama.

The Chinese government asserted its political motive into the reincarnation search by installing another young boy, Gyaincain Norbu as the 11th Panchen Lama. The replacement was kept in Beijing and recently given a political title in the Chinese government, equivalent to that of a member of parliament or congressmen. He was routinely asked to make propaganda statement for the Chinese government.

For twenty years, concerned people and human rights entities all over the world have urged the Chinese government to release the Panchen Lama to no avail. The whereabouts and wellbeing of the Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is a serious concern and the Chinese government should heed the call of devotees and supporters for his immediate release.

Missing since he was six-years old; is this what Gedhun Choekyi Nyima looks like at 30?

#FreePanchenLama on Facebook

[fts_facebook type=page id=171411659559586 access_token=EAAP9hArvboQBALzZA7euO0tTzasfZCJd0fmhRvLR47iklZCbNMEnngUdmL3JAnWzsF5ZA0U2SVRCp6adCnXyLtc4qnHGoPHGzRT9rZCUATUxQrqFc1vtPu3YhFbldlk1NFAjYiiMND62yVZA5el3yan4UZBgIO5QSW5OZBfeeMgC7sNADyjlGST7 posts=3 description=yes posts_displayed=page_only]

#FreePanchenLama on Twitter

[fts_twitter twitter_name=thetibetnetwork tweets_count=4 cover_photo=no stats_bar=no show_retweets=no show_replies=no search=#FreePanchenLama]

International Tibet Network supports the Tibet Movement to develop and strengthen global campaigns. This campaign has been devised by a Campaign Working Group with the following active members: