Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s Arrest and Death Raise Alarming Questions of Chinese Secret Agent Involvement on Vietnamese Soil
13 April 2025, London / GATPM: The Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities (GATPM) has issued an urgent appeal to the Vietnamese Prime Minister, calling for an immediate investigation into the arrest and sudden death of Tulku Hungkar Dorje, a revered Tibetan religious leader and humanitarian, under suspicious circumstances involving Vietnamese police and Chinese secret agents.
Tulku Hungkar Dorje, known for his educational, healthcare and social work – including the founding of schools, medical clinics, and libraries to serve Tibetan communities in China’s occupied-Tibet was detained in Ho Chi Minh City on 25 March 2025. Reports allege that this arrest was carried out through a joint operation by Vietnamese authorities and Chinese operatives. Just three days later, he was transferred into Chinese custody and died on 28 March, with the cause of death still unclarified.
His body remains under Chinese influence at Vinmec Central Park International Hospital, where access has been denied to Tibetan religious representatives. Although five monks from Lungnon Monastery were briefly permitted to identify his body at a Vietnamese military hospital on 11 April, the issuance of a death certificate under restricted and opaque conditions continues to fuel suspicions.
“This deeply disturbing case raises urgent concerns about Vietnam’s potential complicity in China’s growing campaign of transnational repression,” said Tsering Passang, founder and chair of the Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities. “Vietnam has long been respected for its defence of sovereignty – yet this incident suggests a troubling willingness to aid foreign political persecution.”
The GATPM asserts that these actions violate Vietnam’s obligations under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits arbitrary detention and guarantees due process.
GATPM calls on the Government of Vietnam to:
- Disclose the legal basis for Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s arrest and cross-border transfer
- Launch an independent and internationally monitored investigation into his detention and death
- Reject foreign-led political persecution on Vietnamese territory and uphold its sovereignty
- Release his body to Lungnon Monastery to allow proper religious rites and funeral procedures
- Ensure protection and non-refoulement for Tibetan refugees and others at risk
“This is not just the loss of a spiritual leader – it is a dangerous precedent for borderless persecution of dissent and faith,” the GATPM spokesperson warned. “We urge the Vietnamese government to act with transparency and integrity and stand on the right side of human rights.”
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Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities’ Letter to Vietnamese Prime Minister – 13 April 2025
Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Office of the Government
16 Le Hong Phong Street
Ba Dinh District
Hanoi, Vietnam
Subject: Urgent Appeal for Transparency and Opposition to Transnational Repression in the Case of Tibetan Religious Leader Tulku Hungkar Dorje
Dear Prime Minister,
On behalf of the Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities (GATPM), I write to express our deep concern regarding the arrest and tragic death of the esteemed Tibetan religious leader, Tulku Hungkar Dorje, in Vietnam. Based on information available to us, his detention on 25 March 2025, and his subsequent unexplained death in Chinese custody on 28 March, raise serious and troubling questions regarding Vietnam’s possible role in enabling transnational repression by the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The Case of Tulku Hungkar Dorje
Tulku Hungkar Dorje was a highly respected Tibetan spiritual figure and social reformer, widely known for his extensive philanthropic work. His contributions included founding vocational schools, medical clinics, and libraries to serve marginalised Tibetan communities under Chinese occupation. These peaceful and humanitarian efforts earned him reverence both within Tibet and internationally.
Despite his non-political stance, he was increasingly targeted by Chinese authorities due to his religious leadership and his refusal to conform to Beijing’s political directives. Following interrogation by officials from Qinghai Province in August 2024, he fled to Vietnam in September 2024 to seek refuge from mounting Chinese pressure.
However, on 25 March 2025, he was reportedly apprehended from his hotel room in Saigon in a coordinated operation involving both Vietnamese police and Chinese secret agents. Merely three days later, on 28 March, he was handed over to Chinese custody and died under mysterious circumstances that same day. His body is reportedly held at Vinmec Central Park International Hospital under Chinese influence, and Tibetan religious representatives have been denied access. The issuance of a death certificate, while simultaneously restricting his monastery from retaining or documenting it, has further fuelled suspicions surrounding the circumstances of his death.
On 11 April, five monks from Lungnon Monastery were shown the body of Tulku Hungkar Dorje at a military hospital in Vietnam. They were briefly allowed to view his face and were able to identify their spiritual teacher.
Vietnam’s Responsibility and the Dangers of Complicity
Vietnam has a proud history of resisting foreign interference and safeguarding its sovereignty. Yet this case suggests a disturbing instance of collusion with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in its growing campaign of transnational repression. The extrajudicial detention and handover of a Tibetan religious leader on Vietnamese soil raise profound legal and ethical concerns. If Vietnam permits such violations of due process and fundamental rights, it risks eroding both its own judicial independence and international reputation.
Vietnam is a signatory to several key international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits arbitrary detention and guarantees the right to life and due process. Any complicity in the unlawful rendition and subsequent death of Tulku Hungkar Dorje would constitute a grave breach of these obligations.
A Call for Urgent Action
In light of these grave concerns, we respectfully urge the Government of Vietnam to:
- Provide Full Transparency Regarding the Arrest and Transfer
Publicly disclose the legal grounds for Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s arrest and clarify whether any formal agreement with the PRC existed in relation to his handover. - Conduct an Independent and Impartial Investigation
Initiate a transparent and internationally monitored inquiry into the circumstances of his detention, transfer, and untimely death. - Uphold Vietnamese Sovereignty by Opposing Transnational Repression
Ensure that Vietnamese law enforcement and intelligence agencies do not assist foreign powers in acts of political persecution or human rights violations. - Release His Remains for Proper Religious Rites
Facilitate the immediate handover of Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s body to Lungnon Monastery so that appropriate Tibetan Buddhist funeral rites may be conducted. - Protect Tibetan Refugees and Other At-Risk Communities
Reaffirm Vietnam’s commitment to international law by guaranteeing safety and non-refoulement for Tibetan and other persecuted individuals seeking refuge in the country.
Conclusion
Vietnam’s identity as an independent and sovereign nation is deeply respected. However, any involvement – whether active or passive – in the PRC’s efforts to extend its repression beyond its borders undermines that legacy and sets a worrying precedent for foreign influence within Vietnam’s domestic affairs.
We urge your government to demonstrate its commitment to justice, human rights, and transparency by acting swiftly and decisively in this matter. We are prepared to engage in constructive dialogue and to share further evidence and documentation to support efforts to uncover the truth in this deeply distressing case.
We await your considered response and hope for a clear commitment to uphold the rule of law and the protection of fundamental freedoms within Vietnam’s jurisdiction.
Yours sincerely,
Tsering Passang
Founder & Chair
Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities
Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities (GATPM) 