Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU1428
2006-06-05 11:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHKT #1428 1561135 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 051135Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1717 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 4435 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 4688 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 9794 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 2675 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 4089 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 9828 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001428
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2016
TAGS: PHUM PGOV NP
SUBJECT: FORMER ROYAL MINISTERS RELEASED
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4
(b/d).
Release of Three of King's Ministers
------------------------------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001428
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2016
TAGS: PHUM PGOV NP
SUBJECT: FORMER ROYAL MINISTERS RELEASED
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4
(b/d).
Release of Three of King's Ministers
--------------
1. (U) On June 4, the Supreme Court ordered the release of
three former ministers of His Majesty's Government of Nepal
from jail. The Government of Nepal (GON) had arrested them
on May 12 under the Public Security Act (PSA) for suppressing
the "People's Movement," but had not charged them with a
specific crime. Attorneys for the three ministers, former
Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey, former State Minister
for Information Shris Shumshere Rana, and former Assistant
Minister for Health and Population Nikshya Shumshere Rana had
submitted a Habeas Corpus petition for their release. The
Supreme Court determined that there were no procedural
grounds for their detention. Nischal Pandey, son of former
Foreign Minister Pandey stated that lawyers had advised his
father to be prepared for re-arrest on charges because the
current political leadership was unhappy with the Court's
decision.
Political Parties Upset
--------------
2. (C) Many political party leaders expressed their
disappointment with the Supreme Court's decision. Govinda
Raj Joshi, a member of the Nepali Congress (NC) Central
Committee, stated that the decision to release may have been
wrong politically, but that he believed strongly in the rule
of law and would not question the decision of the Supreme
Court. Lilamani Pokharel, Vice-President of the People's
Front Nepal (PFN),said that the release was negligence on
the government's part for not having come up with legal
grounds to further detain them. Bharat Mohan Adhikari,
central committee member of the Communist Party of
Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML),commented that it
was a sign of the government's political weakness.
Comment
--------------
3. (C) The Supreme Court ordered the release of the former
Ministers on purely procedural grounds -- something they also
did on many other occasions when the former Royal government
arrested politicos under the PSA. The Supreme Court's
decision is noteworthy in demonstrating the Justices'
continued independence and adherence to the rule of law.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2016
TAGS: PHUM PGOV NP
SUBJECT: FORMER ROYAL MINISTERS RELEASED
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4
(b/d).
Release of Three of King's Ministers
--------------
1. (U) On June 4, the Supreme Court ordered the release of
three former ministers of His Majesty's Government of Nepal
from jail. The Government of Nepal (GON) had arrested them
on May 12 under the Public Security Act (PSA) for suppressing
the "People's Movement," but had not charged them with a
specific crime. Attorneys for the three ministers, former
Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey, former State Minister
for Information Shris Shumshere Rana, and former Assistant
Minister for Health and Population Nikshya Shumshere Rana had
submitted a Habeas Corpus petition for their release. The
Supreme Court determined that there were no procedural
grounds for their detention. Nischal Pandey, son of former
Foreign Minister Pandey stated that lawyers had advised his
father to be prepared for re-arrest on charges because the
current political leadership was unhappy with the Court's
decision.
Political Parties Upset
--------------
2. (C) Many political party leaders expressed their
disappointment with the Supreme Court's decision. Govinda
Raj Joshi, a member of the Nepali Congress (NC) Central
Committee, stated that the decision to release may have been
wrong politically, but that he believed strongly in the rule
of law and would not question the decision of the Supreme
Court. Lilamani Pokharel, Vice-President of the People's
Front Nepal (PFN),said that the release was negligence on
the government's part for not having come up with legal
grounds to further detain them. Bharat Mohan Adhikari,
central committee member of the Communist Party of
Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML),commented that it
was a sign of the government's political weakness.
Comment
--------------
3. (C) The Supreme Court ordered the release of the former
Ministers on purely procedural grounds -- something they also
did on many other occasions when the former Royal government
arrested politicos under the PSA. The Supreme Court's
decision is noteworthy in demonstrating the Justices'
continued independence and adherence to the rule of law.
MORIARTY