Kathmandu, July 18: Bhutanese human rights leader Teknath Rijal, who is in custody pending trial in the fake Bhutanese refugee case, has said that although prison life is not new for him, he is saddened by the charges on which he has to remain in custody.
Last Sunday, Accountability Watch Committee Coordinator Charan Prasai and other human rights activists reached the Central Jail in Tripureshwar, Kathmandu to meet Rijal.
Prasain said enewspolar.com, “His self-confidence was not weakened. He was hopeful that the court will find the truth.”
Quoting Rijal’s words, Prasain said, “We are concerned about the future of the Nepali-speaking Bhutanese Lhotsampa who are fighting for human rights inside Bhutan, as well as the 6,500 Bhutanese refugees who are currently in camps in eastern Nepal.”
Claiming that he was implicated in this case, Rijal said, “I never ever imagined this sort of situation will arise before me.” Prasain informed that his stay in the prison was fine and his health has improved.
Rijal also cautioned that there should be a constant vigilance for conspiracy to trap innocent ones. He expressed his hope that he will get justice from the court.
In the meeting with the rights activists, he said, “I did not become a refugee for money, I did not earn, I fought for the rights of citizens, the conspirators tried to trap me this time.”
Among those who went to meet Bhutanese human rights leader Rijal were human rights activists such as President of Inhured International Dr. Gopal Krishna Siwakoti, President of Amnesty International Nepal Bipin Budhathoki, former President Rajan Kuinkel, Director Niranjan Thapalia, Dr. Kedar Narsingh KC and others.
Earlier, the Hague-based ‘Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan’ had demanded the immediate release of Bhutanese leader Teknath Rijal, who was imprisoned by the order of the district court in Kathmandu in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam.
The Campaign has said attempts have been made to pressure Rijal to change his court statement that he had made against other high-profile detainees.
