OHCHR-Nepal is very concerned about the killings by Nepal Police (NP) of three individuals, and the wounding of at least seven others, at the District Administration Office (DAO) in Kailali on 28 May, 2008. OHCHR has confirmed that one of the individuals was fatally shot in the head, one in the neck and chest, and one in the abdomen as the NP tried to control a crowd that was throwing rocks and stones at the DAO.

According to international standards, law enforcement officials may only use firearms in dispersing a violent assembly to protect themselves or others against an imminent threat of death or serious injury and only when less extreme means are insufficient to achieve this objective. Intentional lethal use of firearms is permitted only when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life.

OHCHR is also concerned that the incident occurred following the beating of a journalist on 27 May, apparently because he had written an article critical of CPN-M activities, by a group of persons which reportedly included CPN-M cadres. Although the beating occurred inside the DAO compound and in the presence of the chief district officer (CDO) and Superintendent (SP) of the NP, authorities failed to arrest those responsible. Following the beating, OHCHR, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), INSEC and the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) urged the authorities to arrest those responsible.

OHCHR continues to call for the arrest of those implicated in the attack on the journalist. It also urges the authorities to immediately launch an independent investigation into the Police killings on 28 May.