Kathmandu, April 14:

Some 70 lawyers, released today from the detention centre of the Armed Police Force at Halchowk, have vowed to carry on with their agitation.

“All of us have been freed,” NBA general secretary Madhav Banskota told this daily. “But this is not enough. We will launch a strong protest against the government’s brutal power exercise as it fired at lawyers and detained them illegally,” Banskota added.

“We will participate in the stir actively until such time as when democracy is restored and the people get back their rights,” he said.

NBA president Shambhu Thapa, vice-president Sher Bahadur KC, and Banskota along with senior advocates Radheshyam Adhikary, Basantaram Bhandari and other advocates had been arrested and detained yesterday while they were staging a peaceful rally in support of democracy.

“We will strictly monitor the security forces’ use during the agitation and will recommend to the international rights agencies the measures required against such misuse of power,” Thapa said.

Earlier at a press conference, the NBA said that the lawyers were held for two days without detention notices and the authorities did not followed required legal procedure.

The NBA also urged King Gyanendra to own the responsibility of suppressing agitators participating in peaceful rallies. “The King is the final authority of the present government. Therefore, he should take the responsibility,” the NBA added.

“Since the King has called political parties with a hollow gesture, his call has no meaning to resolve constitutional or political crisis,” NBA treasurer Bijaya Kanta Mainali said at the press meet.

“If the King is ready to resolve the crisis he should come forward honestly,” Mainali said.

The lawyers’ body also condemned the government for not allowing family members access to the detained lawyers.

The Nepal Bar Association will stage a sit-in-protest to oppose the government’s move and lawyers will not participate in court business on Sunday across the country. Only habeas corpus cases will be taken up.