Kathmandu, Sept 26, The Nepal Police Central Cyber Bureau has promised not to treat the gender and sexual minorities differently. The Bureau has expressed its full commitment to control the crime against lesbian, gay, third gender, bi-sexual and inter-sex (who are loosely known as the LGBTI community)that happens through social media.
The Bureau also assured of conducting investigation into cybercrime-related issues concerning this community. Pahichan Media today organised a discussion with the Bureau representatives to this regard. Bureau Chief Bikash Shrestha and member of former Constituent Assembly and LGBTI rights activist Sunil Babu Pant were present on the occasion. Shrestha said that they would give priority to the issues facing this community.
“The illegal activities conducted through computer and other devices are called cybercrime.” Pant said that crime which took place through dating apps and sites in developing countries was not uncommon in Nepal, too. According to him, ‘chemsex’ which was initiated targeting homosexuals in the countries like India, China, Thailand, and the United Kingdom has also entered Nepal.
“If sexual inter-course is conducted this way, there are high chances of deaths. This type of sex in Nepal began from heterosexual people, now has been extended to homosexual and third gender,” Pant said. As Pant said, such cases may remain unreported due to fear that they (victims) may be in trouble in the society.
Pant requested Nepal Police to report such issues to Bureau and address them immediately. Bureau Chief Shrestha said that till date there were no reports regarding the crime against sexual and gender minority through social media.
“No one should feel hesitations and fear to register complaints in police office,” Shrestha said. Bureau’s Senior Superintendent of Police Nabinda Aryal requested to seek help of police in case of violence against sexual and gender minorities through social media.
Aryal said 95 percent of people may not know that social media is being used for the crime. Aryal said, “We are ready to inform this community about the use and abuse of social media. In the last one and half month, we have received 236 complaints related to character assassination.” Rewati Dhakal of Bureau said there was no discrimination against this community.
“We do not see this community differently, it does not matter whether they are open or not. However, members of this community should be aware about use of social media,” he stressed. In the programs, members of sexual and gender minority said that there was no favourable ground for the people of this community to speak against cases of rape and sexual harassments against them and it forced them to endure the pain in silence.
The Electronic Transition Act has is a main law to deal with crimes that happens from social media. As per the law, there is the provision of a jail sentence from six months to five years or a fine from 50,000 to 200 thousand if the crime is proved. The Bureau has informed that complaints can be filed at Crime Division Teku.
People from outside the Kathmandu Valley can register complaints in a nearby police station. Threat through email or demanding money is rampant in Nepal. Various types of cybercrime are taking place in Nepal, according to the police.
