Original Story

Nepal News.com    May 13, 2003

King could help Nepali prisoners in Thailand: Parks

Ben Parks, an American national who has been trying to help 37 Nepalis languishing
in Thai jails  Monday sought audience with King Gyanendra and said the monarch could 
play an important role to get the Nepalis back. 

According to published reports, Parks said, "We would like to request the King to 
instruct the concerned Ministry for the formulation of laws that could pave the way 
to bring back the Nepalis who are serving jail terms in Thailand."

The Prisoner Transfer and Exchange Treaty (PTET) Committee Nepal has submitted a 
petition for an audience with the King to rescue the Nepalis serving jail terms 
in Thailand. Nepalis have been serving jail terms in Thailand on charges of drug
trafficking. 

As many as eight Nepalis are serving life sentences in Thailand while 25 others
 are serving 25-year jail terms.

The Thai government sometime back had sent a proposal to the Nepal government 
to sign an agreement to take back the prisoners as the Thai prisons were already 
crowded.

// nepalnews.com am  May 13

--back to the press index