United Nations human rights investigators have condemned 'excessive and deadly use of force' by Nepal's security forces against protestors and called for the government to exercise restraint.
In a joint statement, the five special rapporteurs also asked demonstrators to act peacefully, noting some had attacked police with stones and other projectiles.
Nepali police today opened fire to block tens of thousands of pro-democracy protestors marching into Kathmandu to confront King Gyanendra, killing at least three people and wounding up to 100.
'We strongly condemn the excessive and deadly use of force by members of the security forces against protestors and innocent bystanders,' the UN investigators said in a statement issued in Geneva.
'The law enforcement agencies have resorted to indiscriminate firing of rubber bullets - even on occasion live ammunition - into crowds, beatings, raids on homes and destruction of property,' it said.
Women, children, journalists and lawyers were identified among the casualties - which came as police were enforcing a strict curfew in the capital, according to the statement.
Before today's violence, at least eight people had already been killed and hundreds wounded in police action against demonstrators since an alliance spearheading a campaign to end the king's rule started crippling protests 15 days ago to demand restoration of multi-party democracy.
