Principles of Criminal Law: A Treatise on the Penal Code of Bhutan
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Gelephu Mindfulness City and Diamond Strategy: Legal Challenges and Opportunities
Date: 18 March 2025 (Tuesday)
Time: 11:00am – 12:30pm
Venue: Academic Conference Room, 11/F, Cheng Yu Tung Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU
Principles of Criminal Law: A Treatise on the Penal Code of Bhutan
This book launch marks a significant milestone in Bhutanese legal scholarship with the introduction of Principles of Criminal Law: A Treatise on the Penal Code of Bhutan. As the first comprehensive commentary on the Penal Code of Bhutan, this treatise provides an in-depth analysis of fundamental principles of criminal responsibility, key offenses, and available defenses under Bhutanese law.
The journey toward this publication began in 2018 under the mentorship of Professor Stanley Yeo of the National University of Singapore, culminating in extensive research, comparative legal analysis, and collaborative scholarship with distinguished criminal law experts, including Professors Wing-Cheong Chan, Michael Hor, Irene Morgan, and Neil Morgan. Through legal interviews and a national workshop involving judges, legislators, and policymakers, the book incorporates diverse perspectives, strengthening its relevance to Bhutan’s legal landscape.
More than an academic text, this treatise aims to support legislative reform by identifying areas within the Penal Code that could benefit from revision, aligning Bhutanese criminal law with contemporary legal standards. Drawing comparisons with the U.S. Model Penal Code, the Indian Penal Code, and legal frameworks from jurisdictions such as Australia, Canada, England, India, and Singapore, the book reflects on evolving criminal justice norms and the need for legal adaptability.
About the authors
Dema Lham is an Associate Professor specializing in Criminal Law, Criminal Justice, Restorative Justice, and Human Dignity. In 2016, she co-taught a course on Law and Development at the University of Vienna. She is also the Clinical Supervisor of the Human Dignity Clinic and previously served as a Child Justice Working Group Member and a Technical Reference Group Member for mapping the Justice for Children Workforce.
Before joining academia in 2015, Dema Lham worked as a senior legislative officer at the National Assembly Secretariat. She was the recipient of the US State Department Legislative Fellows Award (2010) and served as the committee secretary to two key Parliamentary committees: the Legislative Committee and the Human Rights Committee.
She holds a Master of Law with a specialization in Criminal Justice and Criminology from the University of New South Wales (Australia), a Postgraduate Diploma in National Law from the Royal Institute of Management, and a B.A. LL.B. from Government Law College Mumbai, India. She is also a licensed member of the Bar and actively engages in pro bono legal aid, offering legal assistance to marginalized and vulnerable communities.
Dema is the co-author of Principles of Criminal Law: A Treatise on the Penal Code of Bhutan and Criminal Defences under the Penal Code of Bhutan (JSW Law Publishing series, 2020). Her recent research examines the effectiveness of harsh punishments, access to justice in Bhutan, and the impact of climate change on persons with disabilities.
Michael Hor grew up and went to school in Ipoh, Malaysia, before going to Singapore to read for an LLB. On graduation he joined the Singapore Legal Service where he administered bankruptcies and companies in liquidation and sat as a Magistrate. He joined the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore and went off to Oxford University to read for a BCL. On his return he became a Lecturer at the Faculty. He is qualified as an Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore, and also read for an LLM in the University of Chicago.
He specializes in most matters related to criminal justice. He has taught and published in criminal law, evidence, and criminal procedure. He has been a Consultant to the Ministry of Law, Singapore, and the Criminal Practice Committee of the Law Society of Singapore. He has also been Chief Editor of the Singapore Journal of Legal Studies, a member of the editorial boards of the Singapore Academy of Law Journal and the Asian Journal of Comparative Law, and an advisor to the Singapore Law Review and the Criminal Justice Club, NUS. He has also been Chairman of the Faculty Search (Hiring) Committee and a member of the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee, NUS.
He has been a Distinguished Visitor at the Law Faculty of the University of Toronto, a Visitor at the Oxford Centre for Criminology, and Visiting Professor at the University of Hong Kong Law Faculty, where he was also an advisor to its Centre for Comparative and Public Law. He was Dean of the Faculty of Law, the University of Hong Kong, from 2014 to 2019.
Gelephu Mindfulness City and Diamond Strategy: Legal Challenges and Opportunities
The establishment of Gelephu Mindfulness City as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) under Bhutan’s “One Country, Two Systems” framework presents both significant legal challenges and opportunities. The Diamond Strategy envisions this SAR as a transitional model, gradually reintegrating Gelephu into Bhutan’s unified legal and governance system under “One Country, One System.”
Legally, the SAR model allows for regulatory flexibility, ethical foreign investment, and progressive governance, balancing Bhutan’s traditional values with sustainable economic development. It serves as a ground for initiating legal innovations in trade, finance, green energy, agri-tech, airport economy, education, wealth management, health, and spirituality—reforms that could later scale nationally.
However, the transition raises critical legal challenges, including jurisdictional overlaps, regulatory fragmentation, and constitutional alignment. Ensuring sovereignty, legal coherence, and compliance with international obligations will be key. This presentation explores how the Diamond Strategy can facilitate a seamless legal transition while safeguarding Bhutan’s sovereignty, cultural identity, ecological commitments, and long-term sustainability.
About the speaker
Nima Dorji is Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law, Bhutanese Constitutional Law, and Gross National Happiness and Law.
Nima recently defended his PhD dissertation titled Happiness Theory of Constitutionalism: A Contextual Analysis of the Nature of Bhutanese Constitution at University of Victoria, Canada. Nima received his Master of Laws from University of Canberra in Australia, Bachelor of Law and Arts from NALSAR University of Law in India, and Postgraduate Diploma in National Law (PGDNL) from Royal Institute of Management, Bhutan.
Prior to joining JSW School of Law, he worked as a Legal Officer at Bhutan National Legal Institute (BNLI), Bhutan’s Judicial Academy, and he was one of the founding staff of the institute.
Nima’s research examines the intersection between law and happiness more generally and in particular the relationship between happiness and constitutionalism. His areas of interest include constitutional law, election law, Buddhism and law, and climate change, sustainability and environmental law. Nima was a founding editorial member of Bhutan’s first law journal (Bhutan Law Review), and he is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and Law published by JSW Law Publishing Series.