Labor Rights Now strongly criticized the Royal Government of Nepal for massive arrests of union leaders after more than 3,000 police and armed forces attacked protesters in mid-April. Top leaders of the Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC) and the GEFONT labor federations were among those jailed.

    "American workers have a growing concern over the recent arrests of key trade union leaders in Nepal by security forces of the Royal Government," said LRN in a letter to the Nepal ambassador in Washington, DC.

    "Labor Rights Now also is deeply concerned about the imposition of the Essential Services Act of 1957, which is being used in order to ban the exercise of legitimate trade union rights."

    The jailing of union leaders underscores the current lack of democracy in Nepal following King Gyanendra's dismissal of the elected government in 2005. Nepal has ratified Conventions of the International Labor Organization and therefore is obligated not to violate the internationally recognized rights to organize and bargain collectively.

More Information

• ICFTU's Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights in Nepal