Parliamentary committee directs to study the death penalty for rapists

Kathmandu: The Parliamentary Committee has sought written opinion from the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and the Nepal Law Commission on whether the death penalty should be included in the law or not.

Wednesday's meeting of the House Committee on Women and Social Affairs directed the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and the Law Commission to provide written answers to the committee's questions on the process of reserving Nepal's international commitment to provide for the death penalty in law if it is proved that a girl under 16 is raped and murdered. Yes 

Chairperson of the committee Niru Devi Pal, while announcing the decisions in the meeting, directed the ministry and the commission to respond in writing to the questions raised in the committee. The meeting also concluded that strict laws are needed to end heinous crimes such as rape and murder after rape, from young girls to the elderly. The recurrence of such incidents has resulted in weak laws and penalties and illegal management of the incidents, he said. The committee has also instructed the government to hold discussions at the grassroots level and bring such issues to a conclusion. 

The committee also directed the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police to carry out the work in such a way as to convey the message that whoever is the perpetrator of such incidents will not be acquitted for any reason and will have to face the maximum legal punishment. The head office has been instructed. 

It has also directed to investigate such incidents impartially and take action against the perpetrators, hypocrites and those who seek to reconcile illegally in accordance with the prevailing law.

The committee has instructed the Government of Nepal, various ministries and commissions to study the recurrence of incidents of violence against women, rape and murder by the perpetrators and make necessary amendments, ignoring the possibility of creating social barriers for the justice of the victims.