UN rights chief, ILO concerned at Nepal arrests

[struggle4progress]

GENEVA, Feb 4 (Reuters) The U N High Commissioner for Human Rights denounced today widespread arrests of political leaders and trade unionists in Nepal, and called for an end to their ''arbitrary detention''.

''It is our understanding that these people are being held in arbitrary and often acknowledged detention without access to legal counsel, families or international representatives,'' Louise Arbour said.

''The High Commissioner considers it her duty to recall that these actions constitute serious human rights violations. Such arrests should be brought to an immediate end,'' she said in a letter to Nepal's King Gyanendra, excerpts of which were released in Geneva.

King Gyanendra sacked the government on Tuesday and assumed full power, placing Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and other leaders under house arrest. <snip>

http://www.deepikaglobal.com/ENG4_sub.asp?ccode=ENG4&newscode=91654