The South Asian Human Rights has welcomed the establishment in Nepal of the region’s first transitional justice bodies but also raised concerns about independence and impartiality of the two bodies formed to investigate war-era cases.

SAHR—a regional organisation working for protection of human rights, peace building and democratic progress-said in a statement that the law establishing the truth and reconciliation process was not fully compatible with international standards governing the transitional justice process.  “The composition of the commission whose members are drawn from different political parties may, nevertheless, raise concerns regarding the independence and impartiality of the commission, and may adversely affect the perception regarding its credibility,” said Hina Jilani, the president of SAHR.

Jilani added that laws must be amended to criminalise torture and enforced disappearances. Regarding the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons, the group concluded that the time allocated to the commission was short. It voiced dissatisfaction at the government’s indifference to recommendations made by the National Human Rights Commission, Nepal.

“It is disappointing that many of the recommendations made by the NHRC have not been acted upon.”