Amnesty Nepal Launches Write for Rights Campaign Urging PM Oli to Investigate Custodial Deaths

Kathmandu, November 17, 2024 – Amnesty International Nepal has launched its 2024 Write for Rights campaign, urging Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to prioritize independent investigations into custodial deaths and ensure justice for victims. The campaign highlights a pressing issue: the rising number of deaths in police custody, with many cases going uninvestigated.

Write for Rights, Amnesty's annual global initiative brings attention to individuals and communities at risk of human rights violations. In Nepal, the campaign has focused on custodial deaths since 2020, emphasizing the need for accountability in such cases.

This year, two custodial deaths have been reported:

• Jhak Bahadur Khadka, 28, died in July after four days in police custody.
• Mohammad Kyamodeen, 45, was found dead in October in Ratnanagar, Chitwan, after two days of detention.

These incidents follow a troubling pattern. Last year, a custodial death was reported in Hansapur, Dhanusha. In 2021, five similar cases occurred, raising concerns about torture and ill-treatment in custody, despite legal prohibitions under the National Penal (Code) Act, 2017.

“The rising number of custodial deaths reveals critical flaws in Nepal’s criminal justice system,” said Niranjan Thapaliya, Director of Amnesty International Nepal. “It is the state’s responsibility to ensure the safety and humane treatment of detainees.”

Thapaliya urged authorities, including the National Human Rights Commission and the Office of the Attorney General, to fulfill their constitutional mandate to monitor detention centers and prevent further tragedies.

The campaign also includes international advocacy, supporting individuals at risk in Angola, Canada, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea. Amnesty Nepal aims to gather over 200,000 petitions through its 7,000-strong membership.

Amnesty calls for immediate government action to uphold detainees' rights, ensure accountability for perpetrators, and prevent future custodial deaths.