Jitman Basnet (pictured here being accompanied by PBI volunteers) has been detained and tortured by Maoist rebels and his own government because of his work defending human rights victims.

Thursday 27 November 2008 by Jonathan Rayner

Former Lord Justice Sir Henry Brooke and other legal figures have expressed outrage at the UK’s decision to refuse entry to a Nepalese human rights lawyer on a European speaking tour.

Human rights lawyer, journalist and author Jitman Basnet has been detained and tortured by Maoist rebels and his own government because of his work.

He is currently on a speaking tour, sponsored by Peace Brigade International (PBI), with Colombian human rights lawyer Judith Maldonado Mojica, and has visas for Spain, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.

However, their presentation at the Law Society this week went ahead without Basnet after the UK Border Agency told him he was not eligible for a visa.

PBI’s patron, Sir Henry Brooke, who chaired the Law Society event, said Basnet was denied entry because he could not prove he had a source of income, or that he was still actively engaged in human rights work.

The meeting unanimously agreed a proposal by Michael Mansfield QC to send a letter of protest to newspapers and the Home Office on behalf of everyone at the event.

The UK Border Agency said it could not comment on individual cases.