Basnet is repatriated by the UN from his posting in Chad as the UN is informed about a pending arrest warrant against the officer from a court in Nepal.
While the government of Nepal is expected to arrest Basnet upon his arrival at Thribhuvan international airport in Kathmandu today, it is equally the responsibility of the UN, the Department of Peace Keeping Operations in particular, to hand over Basnet to the authorities. It is suspected that or else, Basnet, being a high-ranking military officer in Nepal will abscond.
For further details about the case pending against Basnet, please see NEPAL: The DPKO must repatriate Major Basnet to Nepal to stand trial
Advocacy Forum – Nepal
10 December 2009
PRESS RELEASE
Victims’ families seek justice on human rights day: Senior officials condoning human rights violations promoting impunity!
On Human Rights Day 2009, the families of 30 victims of serious human rights violations urged Nepali authorities to pursue investigations in relation to 28 cases of human rights violations committed in 12 districts. These families went to police authorities demanding justice.
Advocacy Forum (AF) provided legal assistance to file First Information Report (FIR) demanding criminal investigations.
The victims’ families asked the authorities to promptly investigate cases of extra judicial executions, enforced disappearances, attempt to murder, and called on them to take legal action against the perpetrators. They stated that they have visited Nepalese authorities repeatedly after the incident. However, the authorities provided no justice.
While Nepali high officials state that they are committed to upholding human rights, not a single FIR presented by victims families with the legal assistance of Advocacy Forum is registered today stating that they would consult ‘senior officials’ first.
‘Such a refusal by those entrusted with defending human rights in their daily work show how senior officials are in fact condoning human rights violations, promoting impunity and denying justice to the victims said Mandira Sharma, Director of Advocacy Forum.
‘Despite the commitments made by previous governments time and again, all of them have failed to provide justice to the victims of human rights violations’ she added.
State cases Act of Nepal require police to register FIR immediately if officials receive petitions like this either oral or written.
AF has previously assisted to file FIR in 66 cases (61 against security officials and 5 against UCPN Maoists). However, to date not a single perpetrator has been brought to justice before a civilian court.
AF, stands with the victims and their families and demands that the investigations in the FIRs are carried out without any delay and that perpetrators are brought to justice.
Advocacy Forum
10 December 2009
Background information
– A report on previous FIRs could be found in a joint AF Human Rights Watch report: Waiting for Justice, September 2008
(www.advocacyforum.org/downloads/Waiting_for_Justice_Nepali_Sep_10.pdf)
– The list of cases is attached in annex 1 below
Advocacy Forum assisted the family of 15 year-old Maina Sunuwar to file a FIR requesting investigations into her torture, disappearance and killing. The District Court of Kavre issued an arrest warrant against one of the accused in Maina’s case, Mr. Niranjan Basnet. Deployed by the Nepali Army to UN Peace Keeping Mission in Chad, he was repatriated by the UN on the same ground. He is reportedly arriving in Nepal tomorrow. Advocacy Forum calls for the arrest of Mr. Basnet on his arrival.
Annex 1: List of FIRs
| S.N. |
Name of the victim |
Nature of violation |
Date of Incident |
District |
| 1. |
Sohan Lal Chaudhari/Radhakishan Chaudhari |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/11/02 |
Bardiya |
| 2. |
Surya Lal Chaudhari |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/11/02 |
Bardiya |
| 3. |
Jaya Kali Khatri and Hitkala Dangi |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2003/12/16 |
Banke |
| 4. |
Rajjab Khan |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2004/04/03 |
Banke |
|
5. |
Bhuwani Prasad Poudel |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/06/05 |
Surkhet |
| 6. |
Raj Kumar K.C. |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/10/24 |
Ramechap |
| 7. |
Netra Bahadur Karki |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/10/24 |
Ramechap |
| 8. |
Ramji Shrestha |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/10/24 |
Ramechap |
| 9. |
Daya Narayan Shrestha |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/11/01 |
Ramechap |
| 10. |
Prakash Basnet |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/10/24 |
Ramechap |
| 11. |
Tek Bahadur Basnet |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/10/24 |
Ramechap |
| 12. |
Lok Bahadur Bhujel |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/10/24 |
Ramechap |
| 13. |
Bir Subba Gurung |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2004/03/26 |
Kaski |
| 14. |
Parshu Ram Yadav |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2009/07/20 |
Siraha |
| 15. |
Prem bahadur Susling |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/06/30 |
Morang |
| 16. |
Dev Raj Adhikari |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2005/02/13 |
Morang |
| 17. |
Bishnu Baskota |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2004/05/04 |
Morang |
| 18. |
Mahendra Rai |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2005/02/03 |
Morang |
| 19. |
Rajendra Mahi Limbu |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2005/02/13 |
Morang |
| 20. |
Roshan Dhwoj Malla |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/03/14 |
Baglung |
| 21. |
Ranga Nath Bhandari |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/01/01 |
Kanchanpur |
| 22. |
Sunil Rajbanshi |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2004/01/09 |
Jhapa |
| 23. |
Govinda Karki |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2009/10/17 |
Jhapa |
| 24. |
Man Bahadur Rai |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/09/26 |
Jhapa |
| 25. |
Tek Man Lingdam |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/09/26 |
Jhapa |
| 26. |
Abdul Jalil Musalman |
Attempted murder |
2005/12/13 |
Rupandehi |
| 27. |
Tek Bahadur Rai |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2002/02/18 |
Udaypur |
| 28. |
Rajendra Ghimire |
Extra Judicial Killing |
2003/09/06 |
Morang |
For further information, please contact:
Ms. Mandira Sharma
Executive Director
Advocacy Forum
Kathmandu, NEPAL
Tel: + 977 1 4004007, 4004008
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