Saturday, February 4 2006 14:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Nepal's Royal Government arrested 42 people including teachers and journalists when they were holding a peaceful demonstration demanding democracy, freedom and their professional rights.

The teachers and human rights activists arrested yesterday(Feb 4,2006) from the demonstration in Tripureshwor, which does not lie in the restricted area, include Nepal University TeachersAssociation (NUTA) President Bhupati Dhakal and former Vice-chancellor of Tribhuvan Unversity Navin Prakash Jung Shah.

They were not even handed arrest warrant after 24 hoursof detention, a source at NUTA said.

The President of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists Bishnu Nisthuri, former Press Council Chairman Harihar Birahi and four other journalists, who were arrested from Kathmandu were released late last night, FNJ sources said.

FNJ has deplored the Government action to vandalize its district in Morang in eastern Nepal and has expressed serious concern over vandalism and attempt of arson at federation's Morang district branch on Wednesday, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Organisation of Nepal (HURON) in a statement asked the government to free those arrested including HURON president Charan Prasai who was arrested last week while participating in a peaceful rally in Kathmandu.

In Kathmandu, even though the Government has officially lifted ban on peaceful rallies the police still intervene and arrest people as soon as they assemble, even in non-restricted areas.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Nepal and Amnesty International have issued separate statements asking for the release of 900 detainees arrested in peaceful rallies.