{"id":3369,"date":"2014-09-05T14:18:07","date_gmt":"2014-09-05T21:18:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dorjegurung.com\/blog\/?p=3369"},"modified":"2026-03-13T22:07:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T22:07:38","slug":"disappeared-nepalese-brits-in-qatar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dorjegurung.com\/blog\/2014\/09\/disappeared-nepalese-brits-in-qatar\/","title":{"rendered":"“Disappeared”: Nepalese-Brits in Qatar"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It was only just two days ago, Wednesday, Sept. 3, that I first learned of the “disappearance”<\/a> of the two British nationals of Nepalese heritage: Krishna Upadhyaya and Gundev Ghimire. By that time, according to Global Network for Rights and Development (GNRD), the two Human Rights workers’ employer, it had already been three days<\/a> since their disappearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Screenshot<\/a>
Screenshot of Pete’s article in the Guardian about their disappearance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Following the development of their case closely–of which there hasn’t been much apart from more media coverage (such as the BBC<\/a><\/em>, Doha News<\/a><\/em>, Amnesty International<\/em>)<\/a>–I have just discovered that Krishna Upadhyaya is a friend of my good mate Pete Pattisson<\/a>, who also filed a story with The Guardian<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t pretend to know whether they committed a crime, but I believe in human rights and due process. According to the articles they were, “investigating working conditions of Nepalese migrants in Qatar,” which isn’t anything unusual or new!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are like me, please urge the Qatari government to disclose their whereabouts to begin with<\/em>. (See below for instructions.)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I make this request not only as someone who believes in human rights and due process but also because a friend of friend of mine, is also a friend of mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other reason is that I know full well what such letter writing and public pressure on the Qatari authorities can achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am free today<\/a> because of the very public and international campaign initiated by my friends around the world, supported by thousands of others that believed in human rights. I myself was incarcerated in Qatar for allegedly insulting Islam<\/a> in May 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During my 11 nights and 12 days in jail<\/a>, I met numerous Nepalese and others, who were languishing in jail, dead to the world and the world dead to them<\/a>! One of them, I now believe, was a minor<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, I believe we can make a difference to these two!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reproduced below is the actions the GNRD publication<\/a> recommends, which I would encourage everyone and anyone interested in human rights and due process to follow through with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Arabic, English, French or your own language:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n