Kathmandu, Aug 3: Former Rastriya Prajatantra Party leader Dhawal Shumsher Rana has condemned the arrest of medical entrepreneur and political activist Durga Prasai, calling it an attack on the constitutional right to freedom of expression.
In a statement issued on Monday, Rana claimed Prasai was arrested solely for exercising his constitutionally guaranteed right to express his views and demanded his immediate release.
“The government’s arrest of nationalist leader Durga Prasai from his residence on the night of August 2 merely for exercising his universally recognized human rights and constitutionally guaranteed freedom of thought and expression is condemnable,” Rana said. “I urge the government to release him immediately.”
Police arrested Prasai from his residence in Bhaktapur on Sunday night. Earlier that day, he had announced plans to launch a fresh protest movement against the government.
“If people are not allowed to criticize the government, such a system cannot be called democratic,” Rana said.
He also stressed that preserving Nepal’s tradition of social tolerance and communal harmony is a shared responsibility of all citizens.
Rana had been preparing to launch a new political party in collaboration with Prasai in the near future.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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