Student leader charged over protests
Nepal’s royal government today charged a prominent student leader with sedition for leading street protests against King Gyanendra.
The charges were filed at the Special Court against Gagan Thapa, who had been arrested last month for allegedly shouting slogans against the king during the protests.
The government has not clarified why Thapa was picked out of the thousands who have taken part .
The court said the government was seeking three years in jail and a €35 fine.
Thapa is member of the Nepal Student Union, the student wing of the Nepali Congress, the country’s largest political party.
The Nepali Congress has been leading an alliance of seven major parties to restore democracy after the king sacked the government and took absolute power on February 1.
Since the king’s takeover, the new monarchist government has ordered a crackdown on politicians and students who opposed his move.
Thapa was first arrested after the takeover, but the government was forced to free him in May by the Supreme court, which ruled his detention illegal.
Thapa’s arrest last month followed several protests in colleges across the country. Some students were injured in clashes with police.
