NHRC calls for torture-free Nepal

KATHMANDU: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Sunday urged all concerned authorities to act together to make the country torture-free.

Organising a programme in the presence of Minister for Home Affairs, Shakti Basnet, to mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture today, the constitutional human rights watchdog also told the government to implement relevant laws in order to deal with torture-related cases.

Speaking at the event, Minister Basnet called for the need to standardise the record keeping system, using technological advancements in the state mechanisms and minimising torture.

He also pointed a need to make the statement recording procedures free from coercion.

Issues including human rights conditions of prisoners, lack of justice to torture victims, prevalence of torture and the proposed bill to control tortures currently under-discussion at the Parliament were discussed during the meet, said NHRC Spokesperson Mohna Ansari.

NHRC Chairman Anup Raj Sharma on the occasion commented that Nepal lacks sufficient laws to deal with cases of students being tortured in schools and prisoners getting tortured inside the prison, which are concerns of international bodies like the UN.