KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 5
Nepali Congress General Secretary and Member of the House of Representatives (HoR) has called for an immediate end to granting amnesty to prisoners involved in serious crimes.
During the special session of the HoR today, the leader urged the government to clarify existing laws and establish new ones to prevent such mistakes from recurring in the future.
Regarding the recent amnesty granted to 670 prisoners on Constitution Day, Leader Thapa expressed his concerns, stating, "Convicts of serious crimes have been exempted from imprisonment by exploiting legal loopholes, which goes against the spirit of the constitution.
This decision is incorrect and warrants protest. It has indeed been protested, and the matter is now in the court, making a mockery of our system."
He pointed out that there is a global practice of granting amnesty to inmates in cases of human error or injustice, with the primary aim of ensuring that no one faces unjust treatment. He emphasized that prisoners involved in serious crimes should not be released to serve the interests of any individual through legal loopholes.
Leader Thapa highlighted the provision that denies amnesty to individuals serving life sentences, expressing concern that even a person facing a contempt of court case had been released. He also noted that there is a requirement for specifying the basis and laws when granting amnesty, and he stressed that the institution of the President should not be needlessly brought into disrepute.
He called for the government to provide clarity and undertake reforms on this issue in the future, urging the creation and integration of new laws while eliminating legal ambiguities to prevent misinterpretations of the law.
