• The rights body also urged the agitating RJP-N not to disrupt the election process

Kathmandu, June 18

The National Human Rights Commission today issued a press release, saying its attention was drawn to the use of force by the security personnel in the protests organised by the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal and arrests made by security personnel.

“The NHRC draws the attention of the government not to arrest people in arbitrary manner and not to misbehave with people who take part in peaceful protests,” the rights body said in its release, adding, “We are serious about the fact that four people were injured in Buddha Chowk of Nawalparasi yesterday when police resorted to baton charge and tear-gas shelling against protesters who were attending a programme organised by the RJPN.”

The rights body said it received reports of arrests from Nepalgunj, Janakpur, Sunsari and Biratnagar. “We urge security personnel to maintain maximum restraint,” the NHRC said in its release.

The rights body also urged the RJP-N not to prevent citizens from taking part in the polls and not to set the election materials of other parties on fire. The NHRC urged the RJP-N to make its protests peaceful and non-violent. The NHRC urges all to abide by the constitution, law and provisions of human rights.

Meanwhile members of the  Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal Sharat Singh Bhandari and Mahendra Yadav approached the National Human Rights Commission demanding probe into ‘violation of human rights in the Tarai districts’.

According to a separate press release issued by the NHRC, the RJP-N leaders submitted a memorandum to the rights body demanding investigation into incidents of use of force by the police in various districts.

The RJP-N leaders met  NHRC members Prakash Osti and Mohna Ansari and told them that the security personnel arrested hundreds of their cadres in various districts, including Nawalparasi, Dhanusha, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Bardiya, Banke, Kapilvastu, Sunsari and Morang on the mere basis of suspicion depriving them of their rights of taking part in peaceful assemblies.

The RJPN leaders also demanded that police firing on protesters engaging in peaceful protests should also be probed.

According to the NHRC release, member of the rights body Osti told the RJP-N leaders that their approaching the rights body affirmed their faith in the  NHRC which the rights body would not let erode.

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