Kathmandu, 31 December 2025
I have taken note of the news reports that appeared in media outlets in the last few days indicating that I have been “recommended” or “nominated” by a political party for electoral purposes. I remain fully committed to upholding Amnesty International Nepal’s independence, neutrality, and integrity, and to discharging my responsibilities as Chair strictly within the AI Nepal statutory framework and internationally recognised principles. Amnesty International Nepal’s credibility is founded on its independence, impartiality, and non-political character. In accordance with the Statute, as the Chair, I have taken an oath to respect, defend and uphold all these principles in practice.
In this context, I wish to clarify the following points clearly, categorically, and on record:
1. No Involvement or Prior Knowledge of the Recommendation
I acknowledge that questions may arise regarding the public association of my name with a political process. In this regard, I affirm my full readiness to cooperate with any internal clarification, or review process as may be initiated or directed by the National Board in accordance with the Statute. But I would like to clarify that I did not seek, authorise, or consent to any such recommendation, and that my name was included without my knowledge. Upon becoming aware of this matter, I have communicated with the concerned political party to withdraw my name from the recommendation list.
2. Clear Rejection of Any Political Nomination
I state clearly that I have no intention to pursue, accept, or engage in any political nomination or electoral process while holding responsibilities within Amnesty International Nepal, in line with the organization’s non-political mandate. Should my circumstances change in a way that could create a conflict with Amnesty International Nepal’s non-political mandate, I would act in accordance with the organization’s Statute, governance requirements and the core standards that shape and guide Amnesty’s global movement including by stepping down from my position without delay.
3. Reaffirmation of Amnesty’s Non-Political Character and institutional safeguards
Amnesty International Nepal is a non-profit, non-governmental, and non-political organization, as explicitly stated in its Statute and aligned with the global Amnesty International movement. I remain fully committed to upholding this principle and ensuring that Amnesty International Nepal and its human rights work, including its governance, research, campaigning and advocacy work, remains impartial and independent of any political ideology or affiliation.
4. Protection of Amnesty Nepal’s Integrity
I acknowledge that my name has appeared on a political party’s candidate list. As mentioned earlier, this inclusion occurred without my knowledge or consent and without any action or authorization on my part.
In accordance with the Statute of Amnesty International Nepal, the organisation has established governance mechanisms to address potential conflicts of interest and to safeguard its independence, impartiality, and non-political character. I affirm that I do not hold any position or role prohibited under the Statute, nor have I engaged in any conduct that would constitute a breach of its provisions. I remain fully committed to the principles and standards of Amnesty International Nepal and stand ready to provide any clarification or cooperation required under the Statute to enable the National Board to assess the matter and to ensure the continued integrity, credibility, and independence of the organisation.
5. Compliance with Amnesty Nepal’s Statute and Governance Framework
I formally hereby declare again, as already stated in the self-declaration submitted with my nomination form at the time of applying for candidacy, and in accordance with the Eligibility and Ineligibility of Candidates provision of the Statute of Amnesty International Nepal, that I do not hold any position as a local, provincial, district, or central-level committee or task-force member of any political party, nor any position in the executive committee of any sister organisation of a political party. Accordingly, I confirm that I am not subject to any statutory ineligibility for holding office within the National Board. My public and organizational engagement so far has been consistently limited to human rights advocacy, civic space, and institutional governance, and I have sought at all times to uphold both the letter and the spirit of Amnesty International Nepal’s non-political mandate and the Amnesty movement’s core standards that it is bound to comply with. I reiterate my commitment to the values, principles, and independence of Amnesty International. I will continue to serve the movement with integrity, impartiality, and full compliance with its Statute, by-laws, policies and core standards.
Bipin Budhathoki
Chair
Amnesty International Nepal