The ICJ today called on Nepal to take urgent steps to implement recommendations on ending impunity accepted by the country during its first cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2011.
In a General Debate under Item 6 of the Human Rights Council’s agenda (UPR), the ICJ pointed to Nepal’s failure to take concrete action to implement recommendations accepted by the country during its 2011 UPR as now visibly destabilising the country. It called on Nepal to take urgent measures to:
- Ensure that the truth and reconciliation commission, and a separate ‘disappearances’ commission to be established, conform fully with international standards including by precluding amnesty for gross human rights violations;
- Ensure that human rights violations constituting crimes under international law are recognised as distinct criminal offences under Nepali law; and
- Immediately commit to implement relevant Supreme Court rulings within a clearly stipulated time.
Nepal’s first cycle UPR took place in 2011. The Government of Nepal adopted a UPR implementation plan in 2012. The implementation plan failed, however, to set out timeframes for implementation or establish means to measure progress.
The General Debate took place during the 24th regular session of the Human Rights Council (9 to 27 September 2013).
Nepal-HRC24-Item6-OralStatementGD-LegalSubmission-2013 (download full statement in PDF)