Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) would like to inform you that 12 human rights defenders and conflict victims – Charan Prasai, Sabitri Shrestha, Janak Raut, Ram Bhandari, Ashok Joshi, Rasna Dhakal, Bikash Basnet, Kanak Mani Dixit, Ishwor Acharya, Bikram Chaudhary, Bikram Dhukuchu, and Surya Adhikari – have been arrested at around 8:30 am today when they were sitting peacefully at Khulla Manch at Ratna Park in Kathmandu demanding justice for Ganga Maya Adhikari.
CASE DETAILS:
The AHRC has received information from the Advocacy Forum (AF) that 12 human rights defenders (HRDs) and conflict victims, namely Charan Prasai, Sabitri Shrestha, Janak Raut, Ram Bhandari, Ashok Joshi, Rasna Dhakal, Bikash Basnet, Kanak Mani Dixit, Ishwor Acharya, Bikram Chaudhary, Bikram Dhukuchu, and Surya Adhikari, have been arrested this morning, at around 8:30 am.
They were sitting peacefully at Khulla Manch in Ratna Park, with a demand for justice to Ganga Maya Adhikari and conflict victims, as well as for implementation of the Supreme Court Order in the Balkrishna Dhungel case. They are presently detained at the Metropolitan Police Circle, Singha Durbar.
Ganga Maya Adhikari is in critical condition in her fast unto death. Ganga Maya is the wife of late Nanda Prasad Adhikari, who died in a fast unto death in September last year demanding justice for his son, Krishna Prasad Adhikari, who was allegedly killed in 2004 by Maoist cadres, a rebel force at the time.
In order to pressure the relevant authorities, and bring attention to the continuing injustice, the human rights defenders were sitting peacefully in protest. They were in wait for Prime Minister K.P. Oli who was set to visit Ratna Park today, along with the President and other VIPs, to observe Nepal’s Democracy Day. After learning of the reasons for their peaceful sit in, the police proceeded to arrest them prior to the Prime Minister’s arrival.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities listed below expressing your concern about the illegal arrest and demand the safety and security for the arrested human rights defenders.
The government of Nepal must respect the right to peaceful protest, and refrain from such unlawful arrests. The arrested 12 must be released immediately, and instead the government should commence the process of arresting culprits behind the murder of Krishna Prasad Adhikari and Ujjan Kumar Shrestha. The Supreme Court order must be respected, and Ganga Maya Adhikari’s health must not be allowed to deteriorate any further.
The AHRC is also writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders informing the Special Rapporteur about this issue.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
NEPAL: Human rights defenders arrested in Kathmandu
Name of victims: Charan Prasai, Sabitri Shrestha, Janak Raut, Ram Bhandari, Ashok Joshi, Rasna Dhakal, Bikash Basnet, Kanak Mani Dixit, Ishwor Acharya, Bikram Chaudhary, Bikram Dhukuchu and Surya Adhikari
Alleged Perpetrators: Police Officers, Metropolitan Police Circle, Singha Durbar, Kathmandu
Date of incident: 19 February 2015
Place of incident: Khulla Manch, Ratna Park, Kathmandu
I am writing to raise my deep concern regarding the illegal arrest and detention of 12 human rights defenders (HRDs) and conflict victims, namely Charan Prasai, Sabitri Shrestha, Janak Raut, Ram Bhandari, Ashok Joshi, Rasna Dhakal, Bikash Basnet, Kanak Mani Dixit, Ishwor Acharya, Bikram Chaudhary, Bikram Dhukuchu, and Surya Adhikari.
I have learned that they were sitting peacefully at Khulla Manch in Ratna Park, with a demand for justice to Ganga Maya Adhikari and conflict victims, as well as for implementation of the Supreme Court Order in the Balkrishna Dhungel case. The police arrested them at around 8:30 this morning. They are presently detained at the Metropolitan Police Circle, Singha Durbar.
Ganga Maya Adhikari is in critical condition in her fast unto death. Ganga Maya is the wife of late Nanda Prasad Adhikari, who died in a fast unto death in September last year demanding justice for his son, Krishna Prasad Adhikari, who was allegedly killed in 2004 by Maoist cadres, a rebel force at the time.
I have learned that in order to pressure the relevant authorities, and bring attention to the continuing injustice, the human rights defenders were sitting peacefully in protest.
They were in wait for Prime Minister K.P. Oli who was set to visit Ratna Park today, along with the President and other VIPs, to observe Nepal’s Democracy Day. After learning of the reasons for their peaceful sit in, the police proceeded to arrest them prior to the Prime Minister’s arrival.
Therefore, I urge the government to respect the right to peaceful protest, and refrain from such unlawful arrests. The arrested 12 must be released immediately, and instead the government should commence the process of arresting culprits behind the murder of Krishna Prasad Adhikari and Ujjan Kumar Shrestha. The Supreme Court order must be respected, and Ganga Maya Adhikari’s health must not be allowed to deteriorate any further. The government of Nepal has not yet been able to clear the murder of Nanda Prasad Adhikari; it should refrain from getting further blood onto its hands.
I trust that you will take appropriate action in this case of twelve citizens arrested on a peaceful sit in.
Yours Sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers of Nepal
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu
P.O. Box: 23312
NEPAL
Tel: +977 1 4211000
Fax: +977 1 4211086
Email: info@opmcm.gov.np
2. Mr. Shakti Bahadur Basnet
Home Minister of Nepal
Ministry of Home Affairs
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu
NEPAL
Fax: +977 1 421-1257, 421-1286
Email: gunaso@moha.gov.np
3. Mr. Anupraj Sharma
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
Pulchowk, Lalitpur
NEPAL
Fax: +977 1 55 47973
Tel: +977 1 5010015
E-mail: complaints@nhrcnepal.org or nhrc@nhrcnepal.org
4. Mr. Hari Krishna Karki
Office of Attorney General
Ramshah Path, Kathmandu
NEPAL
Tel: +977 1 4240210, +977 1 4262548, +977 1 4262394
Fax: +977 1 4262582 / 4218051
Email: info@attorneygeneral.gov.np
5. Mr. Upendra Kant Aryal
Inspector General of Police
Police Head Quarters
Naxal, Kathmandu
NEPAL
Fax: +977 1 4415593
Tel: +977 1 4412432
Email: phqigs@nepalpolice.gov.np
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
