Ramnath Mainali, a lawyer and member of the Supreme Court Bar Unit of the Nepal Bar Association, was arrested by army personnel from his residence in Ratopul, Kathmandu, at 7am on 14 March. Amnesty International is concerned for his safety as those detained in army custody have reportedly been subjected to torture and ill-treatment.

On the same day, Ramnath Mainali's relatives made inquiries regarding his whereabouts at the local police station but the officers there denied knowledge of the arrest.

At about 6pm on 14 March, two army personnel returned to Ramnath Mainali's residence to collect some clothes and medicines for him and told relatives that he is being held at the army complex at Singha Durbar, within the compound of the National Secretariat, in Kathmandu.

Ramnath Mainali was the legal adviser for Janadesh Weekly and as such represented Krishna Sen, the former editor of Janadesh Weekly, who was arrested in April 1999 and detained for two years under provisions of the Public Security Act, on charges of supporting the Maoist movement in Nepal. (See UA 57/01, 13 March 2001, ASA 31/005/2001)

Ramnath Mainali has also been involved in filing a habeas corpus writ petition on behalf of Govinda Acharya, who assumed the role of editor of Janadesh Weekly after Krishna Sen's arrest. Govinda Acharya was arrested on 26 November 2001 in Kathmandu, along with several other editors, journalists and computer operators working for Janadesh Weekly, Janadisha Daily and Dishabodh Monthly (See UA 304/01, 29 November 2001, ASA 31/012/2001). These publications were viewed by the authorities as mouthpieces of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist).

The Nepal Bar Association made inquires on behalf of Ramnath Mainali with high level police officers, who denied knowledge of the arrest. The Nepal Bar Association has also appealed for information to the Ministry of Home Affairs, but has not received any response to date.

Ramnath Mainali was reportedly transferred to Dillibazar Jail in Kathmandu on 4 April.

He is being held on suspicion of involvement in "terrorist and disruptive crimes", under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention and Control) Ordinance (TADO) 2001. The TADO provides for preventive detention without charge or trial for up to 90 days, extendable for another 90 days with the permission of the Home Ministry.

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