OHCHR-Nepal deplores the excessive use of force by security forces it has witnessed in the Kathmandu Valley and in other towns over the last week of public protests. OHCHR-Nepal recognises that police have often been faced with violent situations with demonstrators throwing rocks, bricks and other projectiles, destroying public property, and in some cases attacking individual officers: many police have been injured. Nevertheless, in recent days in Kathmandu OHCHR-Nepal monitoring teams have increasingly observed members of the police and Armed Police Force using excessive force against demonstrators as well as others not involved in demonstrations. OHCHR-Nepal staff have witnessed police firing rubber bullets into crowds of demonstrators as well as police using lathi (long baton) charges, often aiming at the head and sometimes causing serious injury. In some cases police have charged peaceful assemblies. OHCHR-Nepal has also observed a pattern of severe beatings by police of individuals after they have been brought under control and when they pose no physical or other threat. Police have been seen attacking bystanders, charging into houses, engaging in indiscriminate beatings and causing some gratuitous damage to property. Women and children have been among the many victims. OHCHR-Nepal has consistently urged restraint upon both demonstrators and security forces. It has been present at demonstrations in the Kathmandu Valley, Biratnagar, Pokhara and Nepalgunj. In some situations it has witnessed restraint being exercised by security forces in the face of provocation and violence by demonstrators. At other times OHCHR-Nepal has observed individual police officers restrain their colleagues from excessive force against demonstrators.
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Publisher:
UNOHCHR
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(2006
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Type / Script:
Press Release
in English
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Keywords:
DEMONSTRATORS, CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS, POLITICAL INSTABILITY, HUMAN SECURITY, ARBITRARY DETENTION, FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, ABUSE OF POWER, RESTRAINT, SECURITY FORCES, DEATH, LONG BATON, SERIOUS INJURY, PEACEFUL ASSEMBLIES, PUBLIC PROTEST, PROVOCATION, BEATING BY POLICE, PHYSICAL THREAT, BYSTANDERS, CHARGING INTO HOUSES, INDISCRIMINATE BEATINGS, DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, RIGHT TO LIVE, FREEDOM, VIOLENCE, EXCESSIVE FORCE, HUMAN RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION, WITNESS
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Thematic Group:
UNOHCHR
:
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
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Thesaurus:
14.02.02
- Human Rights
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Reference Link:
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