Janus
23rd March 2006, 13:05
BBC News
Leading human rights groups and opposition parties in Nepal have condemned the government for raiding the house of a key opposition leader.
Police raided the house of Madhav Kumar Nepal, leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist-UML), in the capital, Kathmandu, they said.
Mr Nepal has been under house arrest for more than two months. His telephone has also been disconnected.
The authorities have not commented on the incident so far.
Recently many opposition leaders and activists have been arrested for anti-monarchy demonstrations across the country seeking to restore democracy.
In February 2005, Nepal's King Gyanendra sacked a multi-party government and took direct control of the government.
'Barbaric act'
According to the UML, a group of armed policemen raided the house of Mr Nepal on Wednesday without producing any warrant.
They said the police seized the leader's telephone, cordless set, fax machine and a computer being used by his family members. No reason was given.
Several human rights groups and opposition parties have condemned the government action, saying it was a breach of privacy of the senior opposition leader.
The UML called the incident "the climax of the barbaric act of an authoritarian regime."
It was not clear why the government decided to raid the house of an opposition leader who is already under house arrest.
A former deputy Prime Minister, Madhav Kumar Nepal is a senior leader of the seven-party opposition alliance that has been launching a nationwide protest against the year-old direct rule of the king.
The alliance has said it will launch new action against the royal government from early next month.
Rights groups fear a fresh reprisal from the government as the opposition alliance prepares to intensify its stir.
Leading human rights groups and opposition parties in Nepal have condemned the government for raiding the house of a key opposition leader.
Police raided the house of Madhav Kumar Nepal, leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist-UML), in the capital, Kathmandu, they said.
Mr Nepal has been under house arrest for more than two months. His telephone has also been disconnected.
The authorities have not commented on the incident so far.
Recently many opposition leaders and activists have been arrested for anti-monarchy demonstrations across the country seeking to restore democracy.
In February 2005, Nepal's King Gyanendra sacked a multi-party government and took direct control of the government.
'Barbaric act'
According to the UML, a group of armed policemen raided the house of Mr Nepal on Wednesday without producing any warrant.
They said the police seized the leader's telephone, cordless set, fax machine and a computer being used by his family members. No reason was given.
Several human rights groups and opposition parties have condemned the government action, saying it was a breach of privacy of the senior opposition leader.
The UML called the incident "the climax of the barbaric act of an authoritarian regime."
It was not clear why the government decided to raid the house of an opposition leader who is already under house arrest.
A former deputy Prime Minister, Madhav Kumar Nepal is a senior leader of the seven-party opposition alliance that has been launching a nationwide protest against the year-old direct rule of the king.
The alliance has said it will launch new action against the royal government from early next month.
Rights groups fear a fresh reprisal from the government as the opposition alliance prepares to intensify its stir.