Kathmandu, July 18 -- Although Nepal has advanced in revising the transitional justice Act since the previous United Nations Universal Periodic Review in 2021, victims from the insurgency period and civil society groups assert that the government has not established an independent body to handle crimes committed during the conflict and human rights abuses.
Presenting a shadow report to the Human Rights Council, an intergovernmental organization under the United Nations framework that deals with human rights violations, a group of 47 victims along with 26 non-governmental organizations have stated that the legitimacy issue within the transitional justice process is becoming more severe, even twenty years after the peace agreement was initiated.
The coalition has called for immediate changes through the report to guarantee justice, truth, and compensation for those affected by the conflict, highlighting a focus on victims and putting an end to the widespread culture of impunity.
The report states that after the highly anticipated third amendment to the Enforced Disappearances Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act was passed last year, many expected Nepal to finally initiate a substantive transitional justice process. "However, political interference has once again hindered progress," it mentions.
The government selected the chairpersons and members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of the Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) on May 15, 2025. It named Mahesh Thapa, a joint attorney general, as the TRC's chairperson and former chief secretary Lila Devi Gadtaula as the CIEDP's chairperson, despite the appeals from victim organizations to the prime minister and senior leaders of major political parties to delay the appointments, which has led to doubts about the selection procedure.
"Important appointments to the two committees were allocated among leading political parties using standard power-sharing methods, placing the committees under their formal control and undermining their credibility and autonomy," as stated in the report.
According to the report, organizations representing victims have advocated for substantial participation at every phase of the truth-seeking process, including the selection of commissioners and the development and execution of mechanisms. They suggest establishing ongoing advisory forums by mid-2026 to ensure that victims' perspectives influence the process and restore their respect.
They are also seeking a performance-driven, open method for selecting commissioners of the TRC and CIEDP.
Claiming that the amendment brought about some improvement but does not meet global benchmarks, the coalition has called for changes to make war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other major breaches of human rights punishable by law, eliminate clauses that permit hidden amnesties, and define "serious human rights violations" more clearly.
The coalition has also stated that the transition process does not include rural populations, individuals with disabilities, Dalit, Madhesi, Janajati, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other groups that have faced historical oppression. It has called on the government to guarantee fair involvement, accessible grievance procedures, and communication in local languages to make sure no victim is neglected.
More than 63,718 complaints have been submitted to the TRC and 3,223 to the CIEDP, yet none have been addressed so far. The coalition calls for immediate reviews of cases from the conflict period, especially those where First Information Reports were submitted but overlooked. They also advocate for responsibility for continuing human rights abuses.
The coalition has also asked the global community to exert influence on Nepal during the UPR to tackle these issues that hinder the TJ process. It has advocated for backing in creating a victim-centered, autonomous TJ process.
The victim and non-governmental organizations have cautioned that without prompt measures, Nepal faces the danger of continuing to allow impunity and withholding justice from numerous survivors.
"Numerous survivors have expressed a deep feeling of being deceived and betrayed, pointing out that although there has been little advancement since the previous UPR, the present situation indicates a political disaster instead of progress. This seen attempt to control the process has further damaged confidence," states the report.
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