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Nepal
This Week in AsiaPolitics

Nepal’s probe into deadly uprising finds ex-prime minister, officials ‘reckless’

The report is proposing prison sentences of up to 10 years for K.P. Sharma Oli and other top government officials

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People burn tyres during a demonstration in Kathmandu on September 9 to condemn the Nepali police’s deadly crackdown on protesters. Photo: AFP
Bibek Bhandari
A high-level inquiry in Nepal has held former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli and other senior government officials responsible for criminal negligence over the shootings in last year’s deadly youth uprising that killed 76 people, as the leak of the crucial report to a local publication triggered criticisms due to its sensitive nature.

The committee, led by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki, has recommended investigation and prosecution of Oli, his home minister Ramesh Lekhak, and former Inspector General of Police Chandra Kuber Khapung for “negligent and careless conduct” that led to a high number of casualties. The report proposes prison sentences of up to 10 years for the officials.

“There was a deliberate violation of duty,” the report said. “There was no effort made to stop it … or to issue corrective orders to stop the use of lethal force.”

The 900-page report was leaked to local media and first reported by Nepali tabloid Jana Aastha on Wednesday, two weeks after its submission to the interim government. The leak comes as Nepal prepares to swear in a new government on Friday amid criticisms that the current government, led by interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki, has kept the report under wraps.

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