NHRC concerned over rights violations in Nepal

Kathmandu, Mar 25: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Ram Nagina Singh has expressed concern over poor security, lack of voters' education and violations of poll-related human rights in Nepal. While releasing the NHRC's pre-election monitoring report at a press meet, Singh said that candidates, their cadres, voters and human rights activists have not been provided security.

"We did not find the security situation satisfactory in any of the four regions which we visited recently," Singh added. Four NHRC teams led by NHRC Chairman Kedar Nath Upadhayay and members Singh, Gauri Pradhan and Dr KB Rokaya visited Pokhara, Dhangadi, Nepalgunj and Biratnagar last week to meet security agencies, poll candidates and voters to take stock of the pre- election situation.

NHRC said voters in many places have not been able to participate in the election actively due to terror and threats. Maoists have threatened uneducated voters that they would monitor their votes at polling stations through computer devices and take action against them if they did not cast their votes for the Maoist party, the report said.

Meanwhile, as the election draws to a close, complaints of violation of the poll code of conduct and violation of human rights by political parties are pouring in at NHRC headquarters and other regional offices, said Yagya Adhikari, head of the protection division at NHRC.

According to ekantipur.com, the NHRC further reported that attacks against political campaigns, public defamation of candidates, false propaganda against candidates, abductions, restriction on freedom of movement and murder are increasing.

ANI