| Recon |
Posted
on 21-Nov-03 09:24 AM
Amnesty seeks Nepal torture probe
Friday, November 21, 2003 Posted: 0602 GMT ( 2:02 PM HKT)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Story Tools
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- Human rights group Amnesty International has asked Nepal to let United Nations experts investigate alleged illegal detention, torture and disappearance of people suspected of being Maoist rebels.
"Several people who have recently been released have made serious allegations of torture and ill-treatment during their period of detention. Most are held blindfolded all the time. Some have been threatened not to talk about their experiences," the London-based group said in a statement Friday.
Amnesty said it has asked Nepal to let experts from the U.N. Human Rights Commission investigate reports that at least 60 people have been illegally arrested or had disappeared since late August, when fighting resumed after the rebels pulled out of peace talks.
The group said the figure could be much higher.
"The organization is gravely concerned at the sharp rise in reports of arbitrary arrests and detentions and disappearances in Nepal since the collapse of the cease-fire in August," the statement said.
"Evidence suggests that hundreds of people are currently illegally detained at unofficial places of detention, at risk of torture and ill-treatment," it added.
Government officials refused comment, but they have insisted that security forces have freed all those who have no links to the rebels. There are no official figures of how many people have been detained.
The rebels, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting since 1996 to abolish Nepal's constitutional monarchy and set up a communist state.
More than 8,200 people have been killed since the insurgency began, including 1,200 since the Maoists pulled out of peace talks in August and resumed attacks on government and civilian targets.
Where are these torture going to end?
|
