Nepal
20.04.01
Urgent Interventions
Nepal: arbitrary arrest and assault of opposition MPs
Case NPL 200401
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Nepal.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrest and assault of opposition MPs by the police during demonstrations in Nepal.
According to the information received, on April 16, 2001, several opposition party MPs, including Main Opposition Leader Madav Kumar Nepal, were reportedly arbitrarily arrested by the Nepalese Police and detained from early morning to 10 in the evening. The MPs had been attending a peaceful demonstration, which was being held in order to demand the resignation of Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who is accused by the opposition party of irresponsibility and corruption, most notably in the 'Lauda case,' in which the Prime Minister is allegedly suspected of corruption in the deal to secure the lease of an aircraft from Austrian-based Lauda Air for the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation. The members of the human rights community were not allowed access to the detainees, despite a request by the National Human Rights Commission to have this access granted.
On April 17, 2001 opposition leaders were again arrested and some were assaulted by the police, specifically RJM Leader Chitra Bahadur KC and Lila Mani Acharay MP. According to reports, Chitra Bahadur KC was charged by members of the police force wielding batons while on his way home, sustaining injuries to his forehead in the clash. Lila Mani Acharay MP was arbitrarily arrested at the demonstration and dragged into a police van. He was later dragged back out of the van, at which point he fractured his hand. Furthermore, former MP Ram Nath Dhakal was beaten unconscious by the police in Butawal, in connection with the peaceful demonstrations, and is currently being treated in Bir hospital. These assaults come at a time when the police are reportedly engaged in violently dispersing the peaceful demonstration against Prime Minister Koirala.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Nepal urging them to:
1. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all opposition party leaders and peaceful demonstrators;
2. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
3. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
- Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Prime Minister's Office, Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal, Fax: 227286
- Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel, Deputy Prime Minister's Office, Singh Durbar, Kathmandu, Fax: 243465, E-mail: homehmg@wlink.com.np
- Mr Pradeep Samser Rana, Inspector General of Police, Police Headquarters, GPO Box 407, Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal. Faxes: (+ 977 1) 415 593 or (+ 977 1) 415 594
Please also write to the embassies of Nepal in your respective country.
Geneva, April 20, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Nepal.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), a member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrest and assault of opposition MPs by the police during demonstrations in Nepal.
According to the information received, on April 16, 2001, several opposition party MPs, including Main Opposition Leader Madav Kumar Nepal, were reportedly arbitrarily arrested by the Nepalese Police and detained from early morning to 10 in the evening. The MPs had been attending a peaceful demonstration, which was being held in order to demand the resignation of Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who is accused by the opposition party of irresponsibility and corruption, most notably in the 'Lauda case,' in which the Prime Minister is allegedly suspected of corruption in the deal to secure the lease of an aircraft from Austrian-based Lauda Air for the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation. The members of the human rights community were not allowed access to the detainees, despite a request by the National Human Rights Commission to have this access granted.
On April 17, 2001 opposition leaders were again arrested and some were assaulted by the police, specifically RJM Leader Chitra Bahadur KC and Lila Mani Acharay MP. According to reports, Chitra Bahadur KC was charged by members of the police force wielding batons while on his way home, sustaining injuries to his forehead in the clash. Lila Mani Acharay MP was arbitrarily arrested at the demonstration and dragged into a police van. He was later dragged back out of the van, at which point he fractured his hand. Furthermore, former MP Ram Nath Dhakal was beaten unconscious by the police in Butawal, in connection with the peaceful demonstrations, and is currently being treated in Bir hospital. These assaults come at a time when the police are reportedly engaged in violently dispersing the peaceful demonstration against Prime Minister Koirala.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Nepal urging them to:
1. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all opposition party leaders and peaceful demonstrators;
2. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
3. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
- Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Prime Minister's Office, Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal, Fax: 227286
- Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel, Deputy Prime Minister's Office, Singh Durbar, Kathmandu, Fax: 243465, E-mail: homehmg@wlink.com.np
- Mr Pradeep Samser Rana, Inspector General of Police, Police Headquarters, GPO Box 407, Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal. Faxes: (+ 977 1) 415 593 or (+ 977 1) 415 594
Please also write to the embassies of Nepal in your respective country.
Geneva, April 20, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.