On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (June 26), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the Government of Nepal and all concerned bodies to effectively implement a zero-tolerance policy against torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, punishment, or abuse, and to respect, protect, and promote the rights of torture victims.
The press release issued on June 26, 2026, states that the implementation of the NHRC’s recommendations to the Government of Nepal regarding the protection and promotion of the rights of torture victims has not been satisfactory. According to the Commission, monitoring of detention centers and prisons this year revealed that the management of inmates exceeding prison capacity, particularly the lack of improvements in access to water, sanitation, toilets, and overall internal prison management, continues to pose significant challenges to the effective implementation of the right to be free from torture.
The press release further notes that the implementation status of recommendations and suggestions made by United Nations mechanisms, in addition to those issued by the Commission, for the protection of the rights of torture victims, has also been unsatisfactory.
The Commission stated that many victims of torture during the armed conflict have still not received compensation and that acts of torture have not yet been completely eliminated. It also emphasized the need for additional efforts to make investigation processes more scientific and effective. Despite Nepal having ratified the Convention against Torture, it has failed to submit its periodic report to the United Nations Committee against Torture for nearly two decades. As a result, issues relating to torture continue to be raised in international forums, while victims remain deprived of a genuine sense of justice, the Commission noted.
The Commission’s press release further states that the Government must make greater efforts to fulfill its national and international obligations by ensuring impartial, independent, and effective investigations into incidents of torture, taking legal action against perpetrators in accordance with the law, and guaranteeing effective remedies, compensation, and rehabilitation for victims. The Commission observed that the current situation reflects weak implementation of Article 22 of the Constitution of Nepal, which guarantees the right against torture, the Compensation Relating to Torture Act, 1996, the National Penal Code, 2017, the National Human Rights Commission Act, 2007, and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 1984, which Nepal has ratified.
Therefore, the press release issued by Shyam Babu Kafle, Assistant Spokesperson and Under Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, states that the Government of Nepal has been directed to effectively implement the country’s national and international commitments and ensure torture victims’ access to justice.