Amnesty International Nepal: Boys feared 'disappeared' after release from prison

Nepal

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE
News Flash

AI Index: ASA 31/168/2004 (Public)
News Service No: 238
27 September 2004

Nepal: Boys feared 'disappeared' after release from prison
Two teenaged boys and a father are feared to have 'disappeared' after being rearrested on the very day they were due to be released from an illegal spell in prison.

"These are the latest in a string of cases of people being rearrested as soon as they are freed by the courts -- often the moment they step out of the courthouse," said Ingrid Massage, Asia director at Amnesty International. "Such rearrests seem to indicate an attempt by the security forces to undermine rulings against them by the courts. In order to stop torture, 'disappearances' and other human rights abuses the government must ensure an end to the power of the courts being eroded in this way."

Govinda Damai, 18, was seen by his prison guard being taken away by a group of security personnel yesterday evening. A court had found he was being detained illegally and ordered his release for 26 September.

Jimdar Kewat, 16, and his father Keshu Ram Kewat were meant to be freed on 19 September after a court found they were being held illegally. Their family and lawyers went to the prison that day but the guard had not yet received the court's release order. When they returned the next day the prison guard told them a team of police had already come to rearrest the two and had taken them away. The district police office denied knowledge of their detention.

Jimdar and Keshu Ram Kewat had been arrested in April when soldiers entered their house in the middle of the night, blindfolded them and took them away. They were kept blindfolded for four days and given no access to family, lawyers or doctors. They said their captors demanded information about the Maoists (the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)), and beat the father and son with wooden sticks, gave them electric shocks and poured water over their noses to stop them breathing.

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