Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
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| Nepalese police arrest Tibetan women during a protest in Kathmandu |
NEPAL (ANS) -- A UK-based Christian human rights group is expressing concern over reports that police arrested 166 lawyers in Kathmandu, Nepal, on February 24, for participating in a protest demanding that the peace process and constitution be completed by the end of May deadline after four previous deadline extensions.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) www.csw.org.uk says an estimated 800 lawyers belonging to the Nepal Bar Association (NBA) were involved in the protest in February.
CSW reports that following speeches at the NBA premises, they attempted to walk to Ratnapark, but were prevented by police from walking through the prohibited area around the Supreme Court.
“Struggles ensued, and the lawyers sat down in the road, shouting slogans against police intervention. Later, police arrested 166 lawyers, who were held in custody until 6.30 pm, when they were released,” CSW told ANS in an e-mail.
CSW’s Advocacy Director Andrew Johnston said, “There is a clear need for the peace process to be brought to a close and for Nepal to define its new identity as a secular republic.
“By confronting and arresting lawyers who were exercising their democratic right to protest, the police simply risk compounding widespread public frustration about the delays in the process.
There are concerns that the government of Nepal is refusing to recognize the urgency of constitutional priorities within the peace process, or recognize legitimate democratic pressure to meet urgent deadlines.”
Johnson added: “CSW continues to urge Constituent Assembly members to do their utmost to meet the new deadline, and to ensure that the new constitution protects human rights in a manner consistent with the international human rights framework, including full guarantees for freedom of religion or belief.”
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organization working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.
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For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, emailkiri@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.
| ** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter |  |
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