Kathmandu: Twelve Maoist activists, detained under the Anti-Terrorism Act, have rejected the Nepalese government's release order, expressing fear that they might be re-arrested by police.

The detainees, including a girl, belonging to the student wing of the Maoists, on February 11 rejected the release order issued by the Kathmandu District Administration Office, according to a source close to the jail administration.

The Maoists, imprisoned in the Central jail in Kathmandu, said they fear that the police may re-arrest them. Their remarks follow the re-arrest of six Maoists by police last week after the Supreme Court ordered their release.

The 12 Maoist detainees said that they would agree to come out of the jail only if they were handed over to a Human Rights organisation for their safety.

Meanwhile, the prisoners in Central jail, Bhadragol jail and women's jail have been chanting anti-government and pro-Maoist slogans for the last few days to protest the government's delay in releasing the Maoists who were detained during Emergency in the country, the source said. There are about 500 Maoist prisoners, including 70 women rebels, in the three jails.

Central member of Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) Ravindra Shrestha is among the detainees who have been imprisoned in the Central jail since November 2001 when government mobilised Army against the rebels by declaring Emergency in the country.

The government and the Maoists agreed to a mutual ceasefire recently. However, the formal talks between the Maoists and the government representatives are yet to begin.

The release of all the Maoists may take some time as there are legal formalities, officials said.

PTI