Police allegedly use excessive force on protesters, target activists in Nepal: HRW

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday asked Nepali authorities should independently investigate allegations that police in Rupandehi district used excessive force during an eviction drive on October 10, killing four protesters, and injuring dozens.

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday asked Nepali authorities should independently investigate allegations that police in Rupandehi district used excessive force during an eviction drive on October 10, killing four protesters, and injuring dozens. According to HRW, police have also used trumped-up charges of "polygamy" to detain a women's rights activist who was leading a protest against the failure to properly investigate two alleged murders linked to land acquisition.

The rights group said that police initially defied an October 10 Supreme Court habeas corpus order to produce Ruby Khan, a human rights defender who had been arrested at a sit-in protest in Kathmandu. Khan was finally brought to the court, and released, on October 14. During her week in custody, Khan told Human Rights Watch, the police attempted to "bargain" with her saying she would be released if she ended her protest movement.

"Repeated failures to investigate and hold police officers accountable for abuses have contributed to a situation in which police misconduct is weakening the rule of law, and threatening public safety instead of protecting it," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Nepal's foreign donors should call for immediate and real progress on accountability, and reform to end the habitual use of excessive lethal force, torture, custodial killings, and other serious crimes."

According to HRW, Nepali authorities have repeatedly failed to hold security forces to account. In October last year, the National Human Rights Commission said the government had failed to fully implement 87 per cent of the commission's recommendations made over the previous 20 years, especially by failing to take legal action against alleged abusers. (ANI)