Nepal At a Crossroads: Peace or Armed Conflict?

Please join us for a talk sponsored by Amnesty International and Peace Brigades International. Featured speakers Jitman Basnet - human rights lawyer and journalist. General Secretary, Lawyers' Forum for Human Rights Katherine Hughes- Fraitekh, Executive Director, Peace Brigades International USA About the Speakers: Jitman Basnet, a human rights lawyer and journalist, has been working in Nepal for human rights and transitional justice for 15 years. His outspoken commitment to human rights resulted in his kidnapping and torture by Nepal's Maoist insurgents in 2002 and his illegal arrest and detention by the Royal Nepal Army in 2004. He was detained incommunicado in an army barracks for 258 days and subjected to extreme torture. In 2007, Mr. Basnet founded the Lawyer's Forum for Human Rights (LAFHUR), a pro-bono lawyer's network which provides free legal services to victims of human rights violations, including women and the poor who have little access to justice. Mr. Basnet serves as Secretary General of LAFHUR. He has filed a number of cases against army officials who were allegedly involved in human rights abuses. Mr. Basnet's book, 258 Dark Days, a harrowing account of his time in military custody, was published in 2007. Several movies have since been produced based on his book, including Badshala, I Will Find You, and 258 Dark Days. Because of his work, activities, and book, Mr. Basnet has been the target of death threats and attack attempts and has been forced to leave Nepal for his safety several times. He has spoken at multiple forums in both Nepal and the US, including the United Nations, US Congress, and universities. Katherine Hughes- Fraitekh, Executive Director of Peace Brigades International USA. Ms. Hughes-Fraitekh will speak about PBI's work around the world to protect those who are persecuted for defending human rights in their home countries, including in Nepal, Colombia, Mexico, and Guatemala. PBI is an international NGO that has been promoting nonviolence and protecting human rights since 1981. PBI pioneered the strategy of protective accompaniment for protecting human rights defenders and communities whose lives and work are threatened by political violence. More information can be found on the PBI website: http://www.peacebrigades.org/