Kathmandu, December 22

Second annual conference of Nepal Police and Office of the Attorney General concluded here today issuing a 33-point declaration.

Police and government attorneys stated in their declaration that they would always make efforts to seek bail from suspects or release them on general date if there was no need for keeping them in detention centre in the course of crime investigation.

They recommended that the new civil and penal codes should be amended after holding discussion with stakeholders.

They sought directives from the concerned bodies to bring uniformity in the implementation of the penal code’s provision that allows reduction of sentence for the accused if they helped detectives in the course of investigation.

They demanded amendment to the Evidence Act to make it compatible with new laws. The conference highlighted the need for enactment of new laws to incorporate good practices that help detectives use different tools while investigating crime and collective evidence without infringing upon individual’s right to privacy. It also urged the government to upgrade medico-legal infrastructure.

The conference concluded that there was need for effective implementation of the laws that deal with crimes of sexual violence, human trafficking and acid attacks. Stating that the current provision of the law that allows only Kathmandu Distinct Court to hear cyber crime cases created difficulties for people, the conference urged the government to make provision for the hearing of such cases at other places and judicial bodies.

The conference also recommended that the provision of high courts as the courts of first instance to adjudicate cheque bounce case should be amended and district courts should be made the courts of first instance as cheque bounce cases overly burdened the high courts at present. The conference expressed commitment to protect people’s fundamental rights during investigation and prosecution.

As many as 625 participants including 320 police investigators, 270 government lawyers and 35 observers took part in the three-day conference.