Nepal's royal government has arrested dozens of student leaders and political activists in a pre-emptive move to thwart protests against the king's seizure of power, student leaders said yesterday.
Police on Thursday broke up meetings at college campuses and hostels, detaining student activists as they held organizing meetings for the protests on yesterday -- the 15th anniversary of mass pro-democracy demonstrations that ended autocratic rule by Nepal's kings, said student leader Gagan Thapa.
Police refused to say how many people were arrested, but acknowledged they have orders to break the protests.
King Gyanendra took absolute power, imposed a state of emergency and suspended civil liberties on Feb. 1 -- a move immediately condemned by several nations including the US, India and Britain.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2005/04/09/2003249754