U.S. Department of State
05/18/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/18/2026 18:12
Marking 31 Years Since the Panchen Lama’s Disappearance
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Marking 31 Years Since the Panchen Lama's Disappearance
Yesterday was the 31st anniversary of the disappearance of the Tibetan religious leader known as the Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. Days after the Dalai Lama recognized this child as an important future Tibetan Buddhist leader, Chinese authorities disappeared him and his family. He was six years old.
Chinese authorities should immediately release Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family and stop persecuting Tibetans or others in China for their religious beliefs.
The United States supports religious freedom for Tibetans, and the freedom to preserve their unique cultural and linguistic identity.
Tibetan Buddhists, like members of all religious communities, should have the ability to freely select their own leaders - like the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama - according to their beliefs and without party-state interference.
U.S. Department of State published this content on May 18, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 19, 2026 at 00:12 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]