New York, May 19 -- Human Rights Watch has called on the Chinese government to release the 11th Panchen Lama, Gendun Choki Nyima, and his parents, who were allegedly forcibly disappeared by Chinese authorities on May 17, 1995, and have not been seen publicly for the past 30 years.

According to the HRW report, the Panchen Lama and Dalai Lama have historically played crucial roles in recognising each other's reincarnated successors. With the current Dalai Lama set to celebrate his 90th birthday on July 6, concerns regarding his succession and the future of Tibetan Buddhism are becoming increasingly significant.

"The Chinese government kidnapped a 6-year-old and his family and have disappeared them for 30 years to control the selection of ...