Nepal Police calls attention for unwarranted arrests

A series of high-profile detentions followed by releases has sparked debate on investigative practice and due process.

A basic principle of criminal justice holds that arrest must follow assessment, not precede it. The safeguard is rooted in a long-standing belief that it is better for many guilty people to go free than for one innocent person to be wrongly detained. In Nepal, however, recent policing practices are raising concerns that this sequence is being reversed, with arrests in some cases coming before clear evidence or charges are established.