As a part of international solidarity campaign to abolish death penalty worldwide, Amnesty International Nepal has been organizing various events on the occasion of World Day against Death Penalty which is marked every year on the 10th of October by the member organizations associated in a world coalition against death penalty. Amnesty International Nepal is also a member of the coalition. AI has a long history fighting against death penalty in the world.
On the occasion of the World Day against Death Penalty, different programs were organized by AI Nepal with the managerial support of local AI Groups.
Demonstration in Baglung
On the occasion of the World Day against Death Penalty 2008, AI Nepal’s Group 48, Baglung organized a demonstration in Baglung on October 14 opposing death penalty and particularly focusing death penalty in India.
Activists and common people participated in the demonstration were carrying placards and banners demanding the end of the provision of death penalty in our immediate neighboring country India. ‘Death penalty is another fatal crime’, they stressed at the program.
Activists to express their views at the program were dalit rights activist Govinda Nepali, INSEC Representative in Baglung Ram Bahadur GC, and Dhaulagiri Convenor of Advocacy Forum Ram Sharma, among others. Acting Convenor of the AI Nepal Group -48, Baglung Dilip Poudel shed light on the importance of program.
Representatives of various political parties, journalist, human rights activists and social workers participated at the program. Group Secretary Bikas Poudel conducted the program.
Rally cum Submission of Memorandum in Birgunj
Similarly, marking the World Day against Death Penalty, AI Nepal Group-16, Birgunj organized a rally against death penalty and submitted a memorandum to the Indian President through its Consulate Office in Birgunj on October 17.
People from various walks of life participating in the rally first gathered at a local Hanuman High School in Birgunj; demonstrated at the gate of the Indian Consulate and handed over the memorandum to Amar Sing Gurjar, a Welfare Officer of the Consulate Office. Receiving the memorandum Mr. Gurjar assured the delegates of the program that he would send the memorandum to the concerned body.
Earlier, Group Convenor Suresh Prasad Upadhyay recited the memorandum.
Present in the rally were members of AI Nepal Group -16, members of AI Birgunj Youth, Professors Dr Kusha Nand Das and Dr Hare Ram Thakur, National Executive Committee Member of the AI Nepal Dipak Rajbhandari, representatives of various organizations, journalists, traders and students.
Although various human rights movements are fighting against death penalty across the world, this evil practice is still prevalent in various countries as India. India, though emerging as a country to advocate democracy and human rights, the provision of death penalty there might be a matter of infamy. Such turning deaf ear to international advocacy is a matter of shame in this 21st century. As part of international solidarity to abolish death penalty, the AI Nepal Section has been exerting pressure on the concerned countries to this regard.
However, there has been some achievement regarding the abolition of death penalty from the world. Recently, the UN General Assembly 2007 passed the resolution to end the death penalty. As a result, as many as 137 countries have legally denied the death penalty till October 10, 2008.