Kathmandu: Despite ban on protests in Nepal, political parties have vowed to go ahead with a planned demonstration against King Gyanendra's direct rule in Nepal.
The alliance of seven major political parties will hold another rally on Friday in the Capital that is expected to draw thousands of supporters opposed to Gyanendra's seizure of power almost a year ago and his proposal for local elections next month.
"The ban will not have any impact on our protest," Gopal Man Shrestha, acting president of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) party, told AFP.
City authorities imposed an inner-city, late-night curfew on Monday evening, and in a later statement ordered a ban on meetings, processions and sit-ins from Tuesday.
The government said that the curbs are necessary after weekend attacks by Maoist rebels on several targets near the capital left at least 12 policemen dead.
A UN human rights group criticised the government ban in a statement on Tuesday, saying the restrictions "represent an extreme limitation on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly."
"We urge the government to maintain the maximum freedom of peaceful assembly consistent with legitimate security considerations, and we call on those who organise or participate in demonstrations and rallies to act peacefully at all times," said representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal, Ian Martin.
Political parties said the protest ban was a crackdown on civil rights.
"The whole purpose of a curfew and the ban on demonstrations is not to counter iolent activities but is intended to prevent the peaceful protests of the seven-party alliance," Nepali Congress leader Ram Sharan Mahat told AFP.
A call by the home ministry Monday for opposition parties to engage in dialogue with the royal government was dismissed by the political leader.
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