More than 250 still detained: NHRC

Kathmandu Jan 23-The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that 276 opposition political leaders and civil society activists are still facing detention in various places in the Kathmandu Valley.

Out of 311 detainees met by NHRC monitors in 12 different detention centres in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, 35 persons are known to have been released, a press release issued by the commission on Monday said.

NHRC monitors have been regularly visiting detention centres to take stock of the condition of the detained leaders and civil society activists since last few days. The NHRC officials visited the Nepal Police Training Centre, three Armed Police Force battalions, ward police offices of Bouddha, Singh Durbar, Gaushala, Durbar Marg, New Road, Sohrakhutte and Kamal Pokhari and Pahara Battalion of the police.

The rights watchdog, however, didn’t reveal anything regarding the condition of the detainees.

Meanwhile, the NHRC has expressed serious concern over the killing of Nepal Sadbhawana Party’s Dhanusha chairman Bijay Lal Das by the Maoists on Sunday. The commission said the killing, which came despite commitment from the Maoist leadership towards human rights and international humanitarian laws, is condemnable.

The NHRC said it was sending a team to the area to investigate into the killing.