October 21, 2014 His Excellency Zeid Raad Al Hussein UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Palais Wilson 52 rue des Pâquis CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland. (Through UN Resident Coordinators Office, Kathmandu, Nepal) Subject: “Appeal for immediate unconditional release of Dr. CK Raut” His Excellency, This is to bring to your urgent attention that Dr. C.K. Raut, a Madhesi activist, was arrested on September 13 by almost two dozen Nepalese police personnel deployed by the District Police Office; Morang, Nepal while returning home from a mass meeting organized by the Santhal tribe. Dr. Raut was served neither an arrest warrant at the time of his arrest nor a search and seizure warrant before being searched by the police. Dr. Raut was first arrested on one charge (public offence) and later charged with another (subversion) after political negotiations among cabinet members and public prosecutor as reported in the Nepali media. This shows that the decision on the charge against him was not made independently. On October 8 he was charged with sedition, presumably under the Crime against State and Punishment Act 1989, which forbids any “attempts to cause any disorder with an intention to jeopardise sovereignty, integrity or national unity of Nepal.” However, Dr. Raut has been visiting village after village and using peaceful path same as Mahatma Gandhi, Buddha or Nelson Mandela. Dr. Raut, Cambridge University scholar and computer scientist, has been trying to raise awareness among politically marginal and excluded Madheshi group about the political right and history. Amnesty International calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Dr CK Raut on October 17, 2014 and has highlighted “The apparent attempt to silence CK Raut undermines the prospect of an open debate among all communities in Nepal about the country’s proposed federal structure”. Similarly, New York based Human Right Watch emphasize “Dr. Raut’s call for an independent Terai has to be understood in the historical and political context in which the discussion on state restructuring is occurring. His arrest threatens the chances of a robust debate on federalism, and undermines the promise of inclusion. Raut’s arrest shows that minority voices can and will be easily sidelined.” Acknowledging that the rights to freedom of speech, movement, peaceful assembly and association are the fundamental rights of all human beings everywhere, as also mandated by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which Nepal a signatory is, we expect acknowledgement and assurance of our rights from the state and its agencies. We also request you to assure his physical safety and guarantee that he is not subjected to torture, harassment or other ill-treatment. As you promote and protect all human rights: civil, political, economic, social and cultural, we hope that you will consider this matter at the earliest possible opportunity for his unconditional release. In awaiting your reply, be assured of my most respectful sentiments. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Er. Deepak Kumar Sah President Madhesh Initiatives (MI) madheshini.org Phone No: +977-9851050767 Email: [email protected], madheshini@gmail CC: Amnesty International Nepal P.O. Box 135, Amnesty Marga Basanta Nagar, Balaju Kathmandu, Nepal Telephone: (977-1) 4364706 / (977-1) 4365431 Fax at: (977-1) 4354987 Email: [email protected] website: amnestynepal.org ************************************* National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Harihar Bhawan, Pulchowk, Lalitpur, Nepal G.P.O. Box: 9182, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel.: 00977-(0)1-5010015 (Hunting Line) Fax: 00977-(0)1-5547973 E-mail: [email protected] Website: nhrcnepal.org ************************ Terai Human Rights Defenders (THRD) Alliance Kathmandu, Nepal Dipendra Jha, Lawyer / Human Rights 9851076680 dipjha@gmail ************************************* Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) Syuchatar, Kalanki, Kathmandu P.O.Box 2726, Nepal Tel. No. +977-1-4278770, Fax: +977-1-4270551 Mr. Subodh Raj Pyakurel [email protected] or [email protected]
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 02:56:10 +0000
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