Kathmandu, August 24
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) lawmaker Khushbu Oli has called for a debate on introducing the death penalty for heinous crimes such as rape and murder, arguing that the current criminal justice system may not be sufficient to deter such offences.
Speaking in Monday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Oli said the debate should not be limited to how many years a convicted rapist should spend in prison, but should also address why capital punishment should not be considered for such serious crimes.
She also questioned the argument that Nepal’s constitutional and international commitments prevent the country from introducing the death penalty.
“Today, our mothers, sisters and daughters are on the streets demanding justice. So today’s debate is not about how many years to imprison a rapist; it is about why there should not be a death penalty for such heinous crimes,” Oli said.
She referred to the Constitution’s prohibition on laws providing for the death penalty and questioned whether international commitments should take precedence over the right to life of victims.
“Can any protocol be greater than the life of a Nepali daughter?” she asked, referring to cases including Nirmala, Anisha and the recent killing of a three-year-old girl.
Oli said the government should have the courage to review international commitments if they become an obstacle to justice.
She also questioned the focus on the human rights of accused and convicted criminals while victims are deprived of their fundamental rights.
“We talk about the human rights of criminals. But I want to ask this House a serious question: what about the human rights of those whose lives have been taken away?” she said.
Oli said the recent killing of the three-year-old girl had deprived her of the opportunity to experience life, relationships and the future.
She argued that the focus should therefore be on whether the state’s punishment system is adequate to prevent such heinous crimes.
Calls for rape convictions to carry ‘moral turpitude’ provision
Oli also called on the government to classify rape as a criminal offence involving moral turpitude.
She said rape constitutes a serious assault on a person’s body, dignity, freedom and life, and questioned why the law does not explicitly include rape among offences carrying such consequences.
“Why is there a provision of moral turpitude for other criminal offences but not for rape?” she asked.
Oli said people convicted of rape should not be allowed to misuse public office after serving their sentences.
She also called for a review of the statute of limitations for serious sexual offences, arguing that procedural time limits should not prevent victims from seeking justice.
“The door to justice should not be closed because a victim took too long to knock on it,” she said.
Oli urged lawmakers, courts and other stakeholders to review whether the existing limitation period for rape cases is appropriate and how it should be determined.
