Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission lashed out at international rights organizations for issuing a joint statement criticizing a controversial amendment by the government. The commission called the comment “interference in internal affairs and sovereignty.”

According to a report on the Himalayan Times, earlier on March 1, Human Rights Watch, International Commission of Jurists, and Amnesty International issued a press release and had sought an immediate withdrawal of a December 15 ordinance on the law governing the constitutional council.

Reacting to the statement, the NHRC on Sunday said, “The press release not only interferes in the internal affairs of a sovereign friendly country, which places a high priority on human rights and rule of law, but it also questions the sanctity and credibility of the national human rights institution of Nepal, which is a party to most of the fundamental international human rights treaties.”

It also said it was “unfortunate” that these bodies “hurriedly issued a press release asking the government to withdraw the amendment”. The press release “undermined” the highest Judiciary body of Nepal where two cases were also pending on the same. 

Criticizing the tone of the press release, it said the content of the letter tacitly urged the international bodies not to cooperate with Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission which has been working hard to serve the people of Nepal in human rights.