KATHMANDU, Sep 30 – Concerns have been raised over the impartiality of the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led judicial inquiry commission, which was formed to investigate the deaths, vandalism, and arson during the Gen Z movement on September 8 and 9.
Karki, a former chairman of the Special Court, had made frequent and critical comments on social media during the protests—well before he was appointed the head of the probe committee.
His social media posts targeted political leaders such as then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba. He expressed strong opinions, saying they should be “imprisoned” and “not allowed to escape.” These statements have now raised questions about the commission’s neutrality.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Alliance, in a public appeal on Tuesday, expressed concern that Karki’s past remarks have undermined trust in the investigation process. The Alliance—a coalition of Nepali non-governmental human rights organizations—called on the government and relevant stakeholders to ensure the commission's impartiality.
The Alliance emphasized that any political or personal bias must not influence the investigation.
Furthermore, the Alliance also criticized the press statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 25, which stated that protestors would not be indicted for their alleged involvement in setting fire to and vandalizing government buildings, including Singha Durbar.
The ministry’s statement mentioned that no legal action would be taken through regular mechanisms until the commission’s report is submitted. According to the Alliance, this contradicts the principles of the criminal justice system and could promote a culture of impunity.
The Alliance also noted that the government’s failure to arrest inmates who escaped from prison has further exposed the fragile state of law and order, posing serious risks of human rights violations.