UN expert on torture to visit Nepal at Government's invitation

Following up on rising concern over violence and human rights safeguards in Nepal, a United Nations expert on torture will visit the strife-torn Himalayan kingdom in September at the invitation of the Government.

The visit by the Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak, will be the latest in a series of fact-finding missions by UN officials in the past year to the mountainous country where the Government is fighting Maoist rebels.

During his visit from 10 to 17 September, Mr. Nowak will meet with Government officials, military, representatives of the National Human Rights Commission, non-governmental and international organizations. He will also visit detention facilities.

In April UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour and the Government signed an agreement to set up a monitoring operation to help establish accountability for rights abuses and prevent further violations by all sides in the conflict.

Two UN teams visited the country that month, looking into the needs of an expanded UN rights office there and examining the situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs).