UN human rights experts alarmed by deteriorating situation in Nepal

Citing secret detentions, torture, the harassment of civilians and indiscriminate attacks, three United Nations human rights experts said today they were deeply concerned by the "deteriorating situation" in Nepal.

In a joint statement released in Geneva, the rapporteurs urged the Nepalese Government and the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) to sign and implement the Human Rights Accord immediately and respect international human rights laws and norms.

The UN Special Rapporteur on torture, Theo van Boven, the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Ambeyi Ligabo, and the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on arbitrary detention, Leïla Zerroügui, said the human rights situation in Nepal has worsened since their last public warning in mid-November.

Since then, the three rapporteurs have sent 47 urgent appeals to Kathmandu relating to the alleged detention of about 100 people in unknown locations.

"Many reports refer to an increasing incidence of harassment - including house searches, arrests and detention - of journalists, teachers, lawyers and trade unionists for expressing themselves on the conflict," the three experts said.

The rapporteurs added they had received "disturbing reports of impunity of the security forces responsible for human rights violations," which include torture and other forms of ill-treatment of prisoners being held incommunicado.

The three experts also said they were "seriously concerned" about indiscriminate attacks against civilians by both sides in the conflict between the Nepalese Government and the CPN.