"Instead of ensuring Major Basnet´s arrest and prosecution, the Nepal Army allowed him to continue performing his duties (contrary to the Army Act) and has so far failed to cooperate with the civilian investigations," the London-based global human rights watchdog said in a statement on Wednesday.
Though Basnet, one of the four co-accused in the murder of 15-year old Maina Sunar, faces a suspension order from a court, he has recently been found serving the UN peacekeeping mission. His status came to be known after Republica ran a news report on Basnet serving the mission in its November 27 edition.
The United Nations has now reportedly instructed the Government of Nepal to recall him.
A military court had convicted the three other co-accused soldiers in 2005, but had given clean chit to Basnet.
"We have serious concerns that these military proceedings were neither independent nor impartial," said Jonathan O´Donohue, of Amnesty International´s International Justice Program, in the statement.
He said, "Major Basnet must be prosecuted by a civilian court for his alleged involvement in Maina Sunar´s murder. If he is still in Chad, the Nepal government should request the UN Mission to detain him and to ensure his transfer back to Nepal to face trial."
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