Dear friends
Further to the Asian Human Right Commissions urgent appeal issued yesterday on the dire situation in Nepal [see http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2004/654/], we have received updated information on further arrests in large numbers on 15 April 2004. Violations of human rights by the Government of Nepal continue; over 1000 peaceful demonstrators, including the President of the Nepali Congress, Girija Prasad Koirala, were arrested by the armed police force in the afternoon from the Bagbazaar area in Kathmandu. The armed police threw stones at the students and other demonstrators in and around Padma Kanya Campus in the afternoon. At one time, lower ranking police officers clearly defied the orders of one higher ranking officer not to throw stones at the demonstrators.
The following incidents were observed and verified by the Human Rights Monitoring Network volunteers on April 15:
One woman, Kamala Pant, an employee at the Nepal Bank Ltd., and who had recently given birth to a child, was manhandled and dragged on the ground by the police even when she pleaded she was not involved in the demonstration.
Ram Kumar Mahato, a journalist with the Janakpur Bishow Jagaran, Dhanusha, received lathi on the head and was hospitalized. Another journalist, Om Bandhu Karki, from the Naulo Nepal Weekly, received an injury on the head from the stone thrown by the police, and was also hospitalized.
The other people hospitalized with injuries on the head received from stones thrown by the police are: Ram Prasad Adhikari, Central Committee Member of Nepal Student Union; Jeevan Dangol, former Central Committee Member of Nepal Student Union; Devendra Niroula from Solukhumbu and five other people. Kundan Kaphley, the President of the Student Union of Pashupati Bahumukhi Campus, Chabahil, was also injured.
The Network volunteers also witnessed the arrest of over 50 university teachers from Asan, earlier in the day, who were involved in peaceful demonstrations for the restoration of democracy.
The AHRC strongly condemns the continuing gross violations of human rights by the Government of Nepal and urges it to revoke the declaration of large parts of Kathmnadu and Lalitpur as riot-prone zones; to respect the right of people to enagage in peaceful demonstrations; and to release unconditionally all those who have been illegally detained.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter, fax or email to the following authorities expressing your concern.
- His Majesty King Gyanendra
Narayanhity Royal Palace
Durbar Marg
Kathmandu,
Nepal
Tel : 977-1-413577 ; 227577
Fax : 977-1-227395 ; 411955
2.General Pyar Jung Thapa
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Army
Headquarters, Kathmandu,
NEPAL
Fax: + 977 1 4 242 168
3.Shyam Bhakta Thapa
Inspector General of Police
Police Headquarters,
Naxal, Kathmandu,
NEPAL
Fax: + 977 1 4 415 593 / 415 594
4.H. E. Gyan Chandra Acharya
Ambassador
Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Nepal
81 rue de la Servette,
1201 Geneva,
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +4122 7332722
E-mail: mission.nepal@ties.itu.int
5.Mr. Nain Bahadur Khatri
Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission
Pulchowck, Lalitpur
Nepal
Tel: +977 1 5 547 974 or 525 659 or 547 975
Fax: +9771 5 547 973
Email: nhrc@ntc.net.np
6.Mr. Theo C. van Boven
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9016
7.Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Room 3052
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
For Human Rights,
Palais Wilson, Rue de Paquis 52
Geneva
Switzerland
Tel: 41 22 9179313
Fax: 41 22 9179006
SAMPLE LETTER
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear
Re: Arbitrary detention and arrests continued
I am writing to you to express my serious concern at the illegal and arbitrary arrest and detention of innocent civilians in Nepal. So far, the only ‘charge’ against those detained is that they have been peacefully demonstrating, in accordance with the Nepalese Constitution, against the ‘regression’ of the government into pre-democracy practices. Such arrest and detention is thereby unconstitutional, as well as in violation of Nepal’s international obligations. The conditions of detention are also inhuman and unlawful.
Although Nepal has ratified practically all the international conventions relating to fundamental human rights -all of which have been violated consistently against a peaceful, democratic movement- the Government of Nepal’s commitment to upholding human rights seems to be mere rhetoric.
I urge you to take steps to implement the standards of human rights that have been accepted by Nepal on paper. To this end, all illegal and arbitrary arrests and detentions must stop. All detainees must be released unconditionally, or should be taken into judicial custody after following the due process of law. The Government of Nepal should also revoke its draconian order of illegal assembly, and stop criminalizing those who are dedicated to peace and democracy.
Yours sincerely
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Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
