KATHMANDU: The 2023 Human Rights Report released by the US Department of State sheds light on the Nepalese government’s failure to hold accountable officials suspected of committing human rights violations, despite conducting investigations.
The report delineates various significant human rights issues witnessed in Nepal during the year.
These include credible accounts of arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial executions, as well as instances of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by government authorities. Arbitrary detention was also noted among the reported abuses.
Moreover, the document points out serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media, with instances of violence or threats of violence against journalists, along with unjustified arrests in 2023.
According to the report, harsh comments made on social media or another online site against senior government officials resulted in criminal charges under the law.
The report also underscores substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and association, citing overly restrictive laws governing non-governmental and civil society organizations.
Although the law provides for the freedoms of assembly and association, the government restricts these freedoms, especially for minority and marginalized communities, as per the report.
“There were several press freedom abuses including threats and attacks on journalists who reported on corruption, and the government did not make sufficient efforts to preserve the safety and independence of media,” the report stated.
Additionally, authorities were accused of imposing restrictions on the movement of refugees, particularly resident Tibetans.
“The government continued to limit freedom of expression for members of the country’s Tibetan community through its attempts to stop Tibetans from celebrating culturally important events,” it highlighted.
The report also mentions credible reports that the government imposed restrictions on Tibetan refugees’ ability to work.
Furthermore, the report highlights widespread government corruption, as well as extensive gender-based violence, encompassing domestic or intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and workplace-related violence.
According to the report, although the law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials, the government does not implement the law effectively. “There were numerous reports of government corruption,” it noted.
Child, early, and forced marriages, along with other forms of violence, were also documented, alongside crimes targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex individuals involving violence or threats thereof.
“There were reports by some civil society observers that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings during the year, particularly among members of marginalized communities,” the report added.
Prison conditions, especially those in pretrial detention centers, were poor and did not meet national or international standards due to overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, and inadequate access to food, water, clothing, sanitation, and medical care, according to the report.
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