The Hindu : German lawyers seek asylum for Nepal's Maoist leader

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 28, 2004

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German lawyers seek asylum for Nepal's Maoist leader

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, MARCH 27. A group of German lawyers described the imprisoned Maoist leader from Nepal, Chandra Prakash Gajurel, as the "world's most famous prisoner now lodged in the Chennai Central Prison," and called for a "guaranteed asylum" for him either in India or a European country.

Addressing presspersons, the three human rights activists — Heinz Juergen Schneider, Heike Krause and Ilka Hoffmann — said they could meet Mr. Gajurel in the prison only after three days, and said the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) leader wanted to leave India with a visa and under protection of a country which was willing to give him asylum or with the help of an international organisation.

The team, accompanied by senior advocate K. Chandru, also cautioned the Centre against attempting to extradite him and said such a move would be in violation of international laws. "The convention against torture signed by India in 1987 prohibits the extradition of a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture."

Mr. Chandru said though the Centre had told the High Court that there was no move to extradite the Maoist leader, the fact that the police was yet to file a chargesheet in connection with the fake passport case registered against him was a matter of some concern.

The activists said the investigation was not finished yet and it was still not known when he would be charged. They cited an Amnesty International report that at least 256 people belonging to opposition movements had disappeared in Nepal.

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