CCPR/C/126/D/2560/2015
States dollars) for Amrit Kandel’s enforced disappearance. Amrit Kandel’s family received
an additional 200,000 rupees on 13 November 2011.
The complaint
3.1
The authors of the communication submit that Nepal violated articles 6, 7, 9, 10 and
16 of the Covenant, read alone and in conjunction with article 2 (3) of the Covenant, with
regard to the arbitrary arrest, torture and enforced disappearance of Amrit Kandel, as well
as for the ongoing failure of the Nepalese authorities to carry out an ex officio, prompt,
effective, independent, impartial and thorough investigation into his disappearance and to
judge and sanction those responsible.
3.2
The authors further claim a violation of article 7, read alone and in conjunction with
article 2 (3) of the Covenant, in respect of Tikanath Kandel and Ramhari Kandel due to the
mental distress and severe anguish that they both have endured over the past 11 years and
that they continue to suffer as a result of Amrit Kandel’s enforced disappearance and of the
absence of information establishing his fate and whereabouts from the authorities. They
submit that such suffering amounts to inhumane treatment by the State party.
3.3
The authors claim that they have exhausted the available domestic remedies as the
only legal avenue under Nepalese law regarding enforced disappearances is the habeas
corpus procedure. They also argue that no effective remedies exist to enable criminal
prosecution, as torture and enforced disappearance have not been made criminal offences in
Nepalese legislation. They further submit that the transitional justice mechanisms that
currently exist cannot be considered as effective remedies since they had not been
established at the time of the facts.
3.4
The authors also argue that their submission should not be considered as an abuse of
submission. After obtaining a favourable judgment from the Supreme Court, the authors
expected it to be enforced by the authorities. They also remained active and continued to
attempt to obtain information on the fate and whereabouts of Amrit Kandel. They explain
that they only brought the communication to the Committee when they realized that there
were no prospects of obtaining any remedies or information through domestic procedures.
3.5
The authors have requested measures of reparation, including compensation,
restitution, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition.
3.6
As a form of restitution, in the event of Amrit Kandel’s death, the State party should
take all the necessary measures to locate his mortal remains and deliver them to his family.
In order to repair the harm caused to the authors and to avoid the repetition of facts similar
to those of this case, the State party should acknowledge its international responsibility on
the occasion of a public ceremony. The State party should also pay tribute to Amrit Kandel
in order to restore his dignity and provide the authors, as a form of rehabilitation, with
medical and psychological care and grant them access to free legal aid so that they can be
provided with remedies. As a guarantee of non-repetition, the State party should take the
necessary measures to ensure that enforced disappearance and torture constitute
autonomous offences in its criminal law, punishable by appropriate penalties, and establish
appropriate educational programmes for law enforcement officers. As a form of satisfaction,
the State party should translate the Views of the Committee into Nepalese and publish them
accordingly.
State party’s observations on admissibility and the merits
4.1
On 4 September 2015, the State party submitted that the authors’ communication is
inadmissible due to the non-exhaustion of available domestic remedies or, alternatively,
because it is without merit.
4.2
The State party first recalls the main facts described in the communication. On 10
October 2003, Amrit Kandel was arrested by personnel of the then Royal Nepalese Army
and detained in Bhairabanath Battalion barracks at Maharajgunj. Ramhari Kandel, the elder
brother of Amrit Kandel, was also arrested and brought to the same barracks. Ramhari
Kandel found that Amrit Kandel had been blindfolded and tortured. On 30 November 2004,
Tikanath Kandel filed a writ of habeas corpus to the Supreme Court of Nepal in order to
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