Kathmandu, August 18:

Monitors from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal today began their visits to army barracks in Kathmandu. OHCHR monitors visited the barracks on Monday and Wednesday without prior notice. “A team of five monitors visited Chhauni barracks on Monday, where Mahabir and Jagadal battalions are stationed,” said the OHCHR in its statement. Two monitors visited Bhairab Nath and Yuddha Bhairab battalions in Maharajgunj day before yesterday. OHCHR teams also interviewed nine persons detained by Jagadal battalion, seven by the Mahabir battalion and two by Bhairab Nath battalion. “The teams had unimpeded access, and all etainees were interviewed in private,” the statement said. Ian Martin, OHCHR chief in Nepal, in a statement said the visit to police cells and prisons by OHCHR monitors started with a visit to Hanuman Dhoka police station on August 4. OHCHR also urged the authorities to “promptly” send detainees out of RNA custody and to give priority to “long-term” detainees.