FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fear Mounts over Imminent Cremation of Tibetan Buddhist Leader Who Died In Detention in Vietnam After Reportedly Escaping Chinese-Occupied Tibet
18 April – The suspicious death of Tibetan leader, Tulku Hungkar Dorje in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in late March 2025 following his unjust arrest by Vietnamese authorities, has reached a critical juncture, with sources indicating that the cremation of Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s body may be imminent. Tibet Groups call on the Vietnamese government to stop the cremation from occurring until an independent investigation can take place and for international governments to intervene to demand justice for this highly respected Buddhist leader.
Ju Tenkyong, Director of the Amnye Machen Institute said, “According to sources, Chinese officials from Tibet and the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam have instructed Tibetan monks from Lung-Ngon Monastery to prepare for the imminent cremation of Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s body in Vietnam, pending completion of ‘paperwork’, with conditions including no photos or videos during the ceremony and no attendance by Vietnamese Buddhists. The monks have raised concerns, asking how they’ll answer to the Rinpoche’s family without documentation. They have not been informed about the timing of the paperwork or cremation.”
A cremation without investigation would risk the permanent destruction of vital evidence and would constitute a deliberate attempt to obstruct justice. With Chinese President Xi Jinping just having visited Vietnam, [1] Tibet Groups are deeply concerned based on sources close to the family and the monastery that this amounts to blatant transnational repression [2] orchestrated by Beijing to cover up the silencing of a Tibetan leader, further highlighting the urgent need for international scrutiny and accountability.
This development coincides with deeply concerning reports of an escalated crackdown and intensified security measures in the local area of his monastery in Golog, Tibet, further fueling global concern and demands for immediate international intervention. Tibet Groups are also deeply concerned for the wellbeing of the monks in Golog, Tibet, where eyewitness accounts detail an immediate and intense crackdown at his monastery—surveillance has spiked, movement is heavily restricted, and monks and laypeople face ongoing intimidation. [3]
Tulku Hungkar Dorje, 56, had reportedly escaped into exile in Vietnam after facing relentless persecution from Chinese authorities in Tibet for his unwavering commitment to preserving Tibetan language and cultural identity. Shockingly, credible sources indicate his arrest in Ho Chi Minh City on 25 March in an operation allegedly involving both Vietnamese police and Chinese agents. He died just days later while reportedly in custody. The Vietnamese authorities’ unsubstantiated claim of a heart attack, the denial of family access to his body, and the complete absence of official documentation point to a deliberate cover-up. [4]
Dr. Lobsang Yangtso, International Tibet Network said, “We are now in a race against time. Sources confirm that Chinese officials are actively preparing for Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s cremation in Vietnam—with strict conditions: no photos, no videos, and no public. We are urging governments to act immediately—diplomatic statements are not enough. Pressure must be applied now to stop the cremation, preserve the body, and demand an independent investigation before it’s too late.”
Tenzin Lekdhen, Students for a Free Tibet-India added, “Around the world, Tibetans are fearing the worst: that Tulku Hungkar Dorje was abducted, tortured, and killed by Chinese agents for his efforts to preserve Tibetan culture, language, and religion. By cremating his body without allowing for any independent investigation of his death, the Chinese government abandons any chance of ever changing the minds of Tibetans everywhere. This blatant state violence only further reinforces the reality that the Chinese government relies on coercion and violence to rule Tibet—and lacks all legitimacy in the eyes of the Tibetan people.”
Sonam Tsering, Tibetan Youth Congress said, “The news of the imminent cremation is a chilling escalation. Both the Vietnamese government and the Chinese Communist regime must be held directly responsible for ensuring the preservation of Tulku Hungkar’s remains. Any attempt to cremate his body before a thorough and independent investigation is conducted, is equivalent to partaking in this criminal conspiracy, and tantamount to complicity in the death of Tulku Hungkar Rinpoche. If conducted, it must be met with the strongest international condemnation and consequences.”
Tibetans and Tibet supporters urgently implore the international community to:
- Demand the immediate preservation of Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s remains and explicitly condemn any actions towards immediate cremation.
- Launch a full, independent, and transparent international investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
- Unequivocally condemn the escalated crackdown and intensified security measures at Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s monastery in Tibet and demand an immediate end to these repressive actions.
- Exert maximum diplomatic pressure on the Vietnamese government to ensure the preservation of evidence and cooperate fully with an international investigation.
- Hold China accountable for its ongoing persecution of Tibetan leaders and its potential involvement in Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s death.
- Act now before crucial evidence is lost and justice is denied.
Failure to act decisively now will not only deny justice to Tulku Hungkar Dorje and his community but will also set a dangerous precedent, emboldening further PRC repression in Tibet.
CONTACTS:
Sonam Tsering, Tibetan Youth Congress, 7590920978 gensec@tibetanyouthcongress.org
Lobsang Yangtso, International Tibet Network,+918826507768 lobsang@tibetnetwork.org
Tenzin Lekdhen, Students for a Free Tibet India, 8351807484 lekdhen@studentsforafreetibet.org
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- Foreign Ministry Spokesperson announces, ‘Xi Jinping to Pay a State Visit to Viet Nam, Malaysia and Cambodia’, 11 April: https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xw/zyxw/202504/t20250411_11592914.html
- Human Rights Watch, ‘China/Vietnam: Suspicious Death of Tibetan High Lama’: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/09/china/vietnam-suspicious-death-tibetan-high-lama
- https://www.rfa.org/english/tibet/2025/04/15/tibet-buddhist-leader/
- https://tibetnetwork.org/joint-statement-on-the-unexplained-death-of-tibetan-abbot/