Human rights watchdogs ask Nepal PM Koirala to restore rights of Tibetans

Kathmandu, Apr 2 : Amnesty International (AI) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have jointly called on the Prime Minister of Nepal Girija Prasad Koirala to immediately restore the rights of agitating Tibetans to freedom of assembly, expression and movement in Nepal.

On Tuesday, in a letter written to Koirala, they strongly criticized the Nepal Government for the crackdown on the ongoing demonstrations of Tibetans in Kathmandu after March 10.

Amnesty and HRW also alleged that Nepali police have arrested and detained more than 1,500 people and pre-emptively arrested others they believe likely to participate in demonstrations, targeting in particular, anyone they believe to be Tibetans since March 10.

According to a Kantipur Report, these global rights bodies are concerned about increasing evidence of the police's use of sexual and other forms of assault.

Police have further threatened Tibetan protesters with deportation, which would also constitute a serious violation of Nepal's international human rights obligations.

"Despite being a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, senior government officials have denied the right to assembly and expression on the grounds that "anti-China activities" are prohibited in Nepal," the two organizations said in the letter.

ANI