Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee of the House of Representatives has directed the government to seek clarifications from three international organizations that questioned Nepal’s judiciary and judges.
A meeting of the committee held on Wednesday instructed the Ministry of Women, Children, Gender and Sexual Minorities, and Social Security to seek clarifications from the organizations after they issued a joint statement claiming that the government was putting pressure on three Supreme Court justices to resign.
The committee concluded that Amnesty International, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and Human Rights Watch had interfered in Nepal’s independent judiciary and the sovereign parliament’s legislative authority.
Committee Chairperson Samikshya Baskota said the ministry had been directed to seek official clarification, along with supporting evidence, regarding the joint statement issued by the three organizations on July 24, and report its findings to the committee.
The committee also instructed the government to put in place effective mechanisms for close, regular monitoring and evaluation of whether non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) operating in Nepal are working within their approved mandates and assigned responsibilities.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam said the three international organizations had made baseless claims regarding Nepal’s internal affairs.
“The government is clear that Nepal’s sovereignty cannot become a subject of compromise or external commentary under any circumstances,” Gautam said. “No external organization had the authority to make political comments on Nepal’s internal affairs.”
Gautam also maintained that no government representative had exerted political pressure on any member of a constitutional body.
During the meeting, lawmakers said any form of interference in the judiciary was unacceptable and urged the committee to take the matter seriously and make appropriate decisions.
Although the committee had also invited the representatives of Amnesty International, the International Commission of Jurists and Human Rights Watch to attend the meeting, they were not present.
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Three justices being pressured to resign, rights bodies claim
