CWIN Press Release

CWIN President Mr. Gauri Pradhan released

Mr. Gauri Pradhan, CWIN President was released after the Supreme Court's order on February 28, 2005. His arrest was declared to be illegal and made order to release him immediately from the Court premises itself. Division bench of honorable judges Mr. Arjun Prasad Singh and Mr. Anup Raj Sharma issued the order.

He was arrested illegally from the Tribhuwan International Airport on of February 17, 2005 on the way back to Kathmandu after having participated in Official meetings in Europe.

The court came to the decision that the Chief District Officer's order to detain Mr. Pradhan was illegal and hence ordered his immediate release under the writ petition of Habeas Corpus.

The advocates defending the case were Mr. Suwash Nemwang, Mr. Shambhu Thapa, Mr. Agni Kharel, Mr. Tikaram Bhattarai, Mr. Sher Bahadur K.C., Mr. Surendra Bhandari, Mr. Mukti Pradhan, Ms. Shanta Sedhain and Senior Advocate Mr. Daman Nath Dhungana. This decision of the Supreme Court has proved that the human rights should be protected during the period of Emergency situation also.

Mr. Tarak Dhital, CWIN's Secretary; Ms. Shanti Adhikari, Secretary General of ALLIANCE; Ms. Sumnima Tuladhar, wife of Mr. Pradhan; and Ms. Ganga Kasaju, Human Rights Defender filed Habeas Corpus writ in the Supreme Court on February 21, against the arrest of Mr. Pradhan.

CWIN would like to extend its sincere thanks to the human rights defenders, human rights and social organizations, law practitioners, civil society, media, well wishers and friends of CWIN around the world for their support and solidarity for defending the illegal detention of human rights defender Mr. Pradhan.

Tarak Dhital
Spokesperson
CWIN- Nepal

[February 28, 2005]