The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has begun visits to army barracks.

Ian Martin (File Photo)

Ian Martin (File Photo)
Ian Martin, the Representative in Nepal of OHCHR announced today that the Chhauni and Maharajgunj barracks were visited on 15 and 17 August respectively.

Five monitors had visited the Mahabir and Jagadal Battalions in Chhauni where seven and nine detainees respectively were interviewed, the OHCHR said and added two monitors had interviewed two detainees in the custody of Bhairabnath Battalion in Maharajgunj.

The visits were conducted without prior notice, in accordance with the OHCHR agreement with the government. Unimpeded access was given and all 18 detainees were interviewed in private, the OHCHR said.

Martin noted that visits by OHCHR monitors to police cells and prisons had begun with a visit to the Hanuman Dhoka Police Station on August 4.

The OHCHR has urged that detainees be promptly transferred out of RNA custody and be held in officially recognized place of detention.

The findings of the detention visits will be presented to the authorities and reflected in the public reports of the High Commissioner, the OHCHR said.