Original Story

http://www.nepalnews.com.np/ntimes/issue175/domestic_brief.htm



Nepali inmate dies in Thailand

One of the 36 Nepali prisoners in Thai jails waiting for an extradition treaty 
to be sent back to Nepal, has died in a prison hospital, Thai sources said.

Hari Bahadur Gurung had been living with HIV and was transferred from Bangkok’s 
Bangkwang prison to a hospice run by a charity a few days before he died on 12 
December. Before passing away, Gurung had been looked after by several 
volunteer inmates including Uwes Dambermann, a fellow-inmate from South Africa. 

Gurung is survived by a wife and two young children in Nepal.

“We have been trying very hard to convince the Thai government to
amend the  law, so that the terminally ill inmates can be eligible for
compassionate  release,” said hospice director, John Lerwitworapong.

Other activists who have been lobbying with the Nepali authorities
to expedite  an extradition treaty to bring Nepali inmates home are disheartened
that the  issue is not getting sufficient priority in Nepal. “The Thais have
said they  can send the Nepalis back, but our government doesn’t care,” says
GS Rai, one extradition activist. “The Nepalis want to come back and serve
their terms in  their homeland.” Nearly all the Nepalis are accused of drug
trafficking  offences and are serving sentences of 10 years to life
imprisonment. Many say  they were framed by Thai traffickers.

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