(TibetanReview.net, Oct13’19) – Police in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu had arrested 22 alleged free-Tibet movement campaigners and human rights activists over the past three days on suspicion of planning to hold protests during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Oct 12-13 state visit to the country, reported thehimalayantimes.com Oct 13.
Five were held from Swoyambhu, nine from Bouddha, six from Pharping, and two from an undisclosed location, the report said, citing Teku from the Metropolitan Police Range. The report cited police as saying those arrested from Bouddha were wearing track suits bearing ‘Free Tibet’ slogan. Others were stated to be carrying Tibetan flags and bags with ‘Free Tibet’ slogans.
The report further cited police as saying 11 of those arrested were Tibetan refugees while the rest were Nepalis.
The report named one of the arrested as Tenzing Lama, a Nepali citizen and a human rights activist. He was stated to have been arrested on Oct 10 from his residence in Thamel. He was later stated to be receiving treatment at Manmohan Hospital under police custody since Oct 11.
Another human rights activist, BP Poudel, was arrested from Kathmandu on Oct 12, the report cited Deputy Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati as saying.
The report cited police as saying some of those arrested from Bouddha were released on Oct 12 afternoon.
Indra Prasad Aryal, chairman of Human Rights Organisation-Nepal, had three police personnel deployed at his Balaju residence for the preceding three days. “They constantly keep an eye on me and follow all my movements. As a result I could not raise the human rights issues of Tibetan people,” the report quoted him as saying.
The report also said police had stepped up security around monasteries in Kathmandu to prevent protests against the Chinese’s president’s visit or raising Tibetan issues.
