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Nepal: Harsher punishment for human traffickersTuesday - 02nd January 2007 |
| KATHMANDU - In an effort to control spiralling human trafficking and forced prostitution, the Nepalese government has proposed a new bill that provides harsher sentences against those involved in trafficking, newspapers reported on Tuesday. The new bill will be presented in parliament soon and proposes action even against clients of sex workers, the Himalayan Times reported. Under the proposed new legislation, those found guilty of trafficking women will face a prison term of 20 years and a fine of up to 100,000 rupees (1,500 dollars). The new bill also proposes action against both those who force people into prostitution and against those who visit sex workers. This is the first time that the law will deal with sex workers’ clients. Women’s rights groups had been pressing the government for a clear law on sex workers saying they were victimized by both the law enforcement agencies and clients in the absence of clear legal status. The newspaper reported that if found guilty, people visiting brothels could face up to three months in jail and a fine of between 2,000 and 5,000 rupees. The bill proposes an even stiffer sentence if children are trafficked, setting the total prison term to 20 years and a fine of up to 200,000 rupees. The new bill will protect the victims even if they inflict injuries or kill the tormentor in the course of fleeing or in self defence. Women activists and other rights groups say as many as 12,000 women and children are trafficked from Nepal and sold into Indian brothels every year. |
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