Kathmandu, April 5:

Over 50 professionals were arrested in two incidents in the capital when professors, doctors, lawyers and journalists tried to organise rallies in New Baneshor and New Road today.

Chairman of SAFMA Nepal Chapter Gopal Thapaliya and Rishi Dhamla of Reporters Club were injured in the incident.All the arrested were released in the evening.

By 7.30 in the morning, the Professional Alliance for Peace and Democracy (PAPD) organised a rally to support the parties’ general strike . But the security forces did not allow anybody to stand in groups in the area.Those standing in the protest area were taken into custody and sent to New Baneshwor Police Station. Among the arrested were chairman of Federation of Nepalese Journalist (FNJ) Bishnu Nisthuri, chairman of NBA Shambhu Thapa, chairman of NUTA Prof Bhupati Dhakal and Dr Mahesh Maskey .

“Later the journalists were taken to Mahendra Police Club at 2.30,” said Mahendra Bista, the general-secretary of FNJ. Rishi Dhamala said he was injured in his left hand. A series of protest rallies were held at New Road at 3.00 pm.

The protestors chanted slogans for press freedom, restoration of democracy and immediate release of those professionals detained in the morning. After sporadic protest programmes around New Road area, they held a meeting at New Road as the security personnel did not stop them.

“We don’t have to complain to Kamal Thapa or to Dr Tulsi Giri against this suppression of professionals. But we seek justification right from the King,” said Kanak Mani Dixit, the publisher of Himal News magazine. Two dozen journalists, including vice-chairman of Shiva Gaunle, Kanak Mani Dixit, Hemanta Kafle, Balkumar Nepal, Nirmala Sharma and others, were detained at New Road .They were released by 6.00 pm.

The US flayed the detention of party and civil society activists .

A press release from the US embassy states that the arrests and harassment of pro-democracy activists violated their fundamental civil rights.