All News

On July 19, 2023, the Bagmati Provincial Office of the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) in Hetauda submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Chief District Officer, urging for the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Ganesh Bhandari, the Coordinator of INSEC’s Bagmati Province Office, presented the memorandum to the Prime Minister via Chief District Officer Surya Prasad Sedhai on July 19.

The memorandum submission took place in recognition of International Justice Day, which commemorates the passing of the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court.

Chief District Officer Sedhai acknowledged the memorandum and assured that it would be promptly forwarded to the Prime Minister’s office. He further stated that the government is committed to ensuring that human rights are not violated in the district.

Coordinator Ganesh Bhandari highlighted that Nepal has delayed signing the Rome Statute and becoming a party state, which has perpetuated impunity in the country. He also informed Chief District Officer Sedhai that INSEC has been submitting memorandums for the past 17 years to exert pressure on the Government of Nepal to ratify the Rome Statute.

Although the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court has been ratified by 123 countries worldwide, Nepal is not yet a party to the statute.

Human rights activists have long been advocating for Nepal to ratify the International Criminal Court (Rome Statute) in order to address transitional justice concerns.

The memorandum recalls that the restored House of Representatives passed a resolution on July 25, 2006, unanimously directing the Government of Nepal to ratify the International Criminal Court (Rome Statute).

Additionally, attention has been drawn to the implementation of suggestions received during the global periodic review of human rights, which emphasized the ratification of the Rome Statute.

INSEC requested in the memorandum that the government demonstrates respect for international law by promptly ratifying the International Criminal Court (Rome Statute), referring to the previous recommendation made by then Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav to ratify the statute on February 11, 2009.

Furthermore, INSEC Bagmati Province Coordinator Ganesh Bhandari presented the Nepal Human Rights Year Book 2023 to Chief District Officer Surya Prasad Sedhai, who recently assumed his duties in the district.

INSEC Bagmati Province Office, Hetauda