As incidents of deaths of inmates and detainees in prisons and detention centers are being reported extensively, Advocacy Forum-Nepal convened a sectoral meeting with Mr.Bhoj Raj Shrestha, Chief Attorney, Province 1 on 28 December 2021. In the meeting, AF raised the deteriorating condition of the physical infrastructure of the prisons and detention centers followed by lack of access to legal representation, and torture, and ill-treatment and reportedly faced by the inmates inside the prisons. AF underlined the urgent need for monitoring and immediate intervention to rectify the situation in order to fulfill the human rights commitments enshrined in Nepal’s Constitution and Nepal is obligated to as a party to core human rights treaties.

30 December 2021, Banke: On 30 December 2021, Advocacy Forum- Nepal (AF) organized a consultation meeting with stakeholders of criminal justice system in Banke. The consultation was organized to have rigorous discussion among stakeholders in implementing principles of human rights in administering justice and the role it plays in strengthening overall criminal justice system. Judges from High Court Tulsipur, Nepalgunj Bench, District Court, Banke, advocates and representatives from District Administration Office, Banke, Child Correction Home, Banke, Nepal Bar Association, Nepalgunj High Court Bar Association, District Government Attorney’s Office, Banke and District Police Office, Banke among others attended the program.

28 December 2021, Surkhet: On 28 December 2021, Advocacy Forum-Nepal (AF) held an interaction program among the stakeholders with an aim to discuss on Karnali Provincial Police Bill in Birendranagar, Sukhet. The representatives from Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law, Karnali Province, Provincial Police, District Police Office, Surkhet, Bar Association and human rights organizations were present in the program.

25 December 2021: Upholding the theme ‘Sports for Women Empowerment’ on 25 December 2021 Advocacy Forum supported Radio Mukti, Butwal in organizing a futsal competition among 12 teams of women representing different sectors such as government officers, health workers, journalists, social activists etc. A team of conflict-victim women, coordinated by Radha Poudel, wife of an enforced disappearance victim- also participated in the event. The event was organized in Green Lumbini Futsal ground in Butwal with representatives from Butwal Sub-Metropolitan, Radio Mukti, Federation of Nepali Journalists, Lumbini Province and Seto Gurans Child Development Service.

25 December 2021, Dhangadi: On 25 December 2021, Advocacy Forum-Nepal (AF) and International Commissions of Jurists (ICJ) organized an interaction program in Dhangadi, Kailali with an aim to discuss human rights aspects in the Sudurpaschim Provincial Police Bill. The representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law, Sudurpaschim, Provincial Office of National Human Rights Commission, Sudurpashcim, District Police Office, Kailali, Provincial Police Office, Kailali District Bar Association and several media houses were present in the program.

Since the COVID -19 outbreak, the family visits to Child Correction Home (CCH) have been affected. With the aim to ease the communication between children and their family members and lawyers, on 15 December 2021, Advocacy Forum- Nepal (AF) handed over two desktop computers to the Child Correction Home, Banke. The representatives from District Administration Office, National Human Rights Commission, Chairperson of Banke District Court Bar Association were also present at the program.

23 December 2021, Pokhara: To discuss the role and forge the way forward on how can Local Government can fulfill its responsibilities towards the victims, Advocacy Forum- Nepal organized an interaction program titled “The Role of Local government in fulfilling Victim’s Reparative Needs” at Marshyangdi Rural Municipality Office on 23 December 2021.The program was attended by the victims, representatives of the political parties, elected representatives of various wards, and the victims of Marshyangdi Rural Municipality. Altogether, 29 participants (20 males and 9 females) attended the program.

On 19-20 December 2021, Advocacy Forum-Nepal (AF) convened a ‘Workshop on Documentation and Strategic Litigation on Cases of Human Rights Violations at Buddha Maya Gardens Hotel, Lumbini. The aim of the workshop was to discuss on the basic components of documentation and litigation, including their importance and application in seeking remedy on cases of human rights violations.

16 December, 2021: On 12 December 2021, the District Court Dailekh has convicted three more accused involved in Dekendra Thapa’s case for murder. While two of the main accused got 20 years of imprisonment, one got 3 years for abetting the murder. This decision upholds the principle of justice refusing to accept the argument of the political parties and the Government that the conflict era cases to be dealt with by the farce Transitional Justice mechanism, i.e. the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

With an aim to bridge communication gaps between families and children of Child Correction Home, Bhairahawa, on 16 December 2021 Advocacy Forum- Nepal (AF) handed over two set of computers to Child Correction Home Bhairahawa. The computers were handed over to the CCH amidst a small function wherein representatives from Siddhartha Municipality, Bhairahawa, National Human Rights Commission, and Rupandehi District Court and District Court Bar Association were present.