(TibetanReview.net, Oct14’19) – As Chinese President Xi Jinping left after concluding his Oct 12-13 state visit, Nepal is to charge 24 Tibet activists, most of them Nepali Citizens of Tibetan descend, for indecent behaviour, reported english.onlinekhabar.com Oct 13.
It is not clear what actions on their part earned them this charge. The report only said police arrested two of them on the eve of Xi’s visit on the charge of selling bags where ‘Free Tibet’ was written.
Earlier, thehimalayantimes.com Oct 13 said those arrested from Bouddha were wearing track suits bearing ‘Free Tibet’ slogan while others were carrying Tibetan flags and bags with ‘Free Tibet’ slogans.
The report said police had launched a special operation in a bid to control Free Tibet activities around one month before Xi’s visit. Now, they will face the charge, the report said, citing law enforcement personnel.
The report said most of the 24 arrestees were Nepali citizens of Tibetan origin, citing DSP Hobindra Bogati, spokesperson at the Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu.
They were reported to have been arrested from Bauddha, Swayambhu and Pharping areas.
It was earlier made clear that Nepal was not going to sign an extradition treaty requested by China although a draft had already been prepared. Experts were reported to fear that Tibetans were China’s main targets of the treaty.
The decision not to sign the treaty was made after a consultation meeting with former prime ministers called by Prime Minister KP Oli on Oct 10, the report added.
Also dropped was a defence and border road construction, according to economictimes.indiatimes.com Oct 14.
The report said Nepal dropped those plans following apprehensions they could infringe on its sovereignty.
