KATHMANDU, Aug 13: Many people are forced to stay behind the bar as they fail to pay petty fines due to their financial situation, according to rights activists.
Participants of an interaction program organized on Thursday by Hidden Life Foundation, an organization that helps release people put behind the bars unjustly, said that many people struggle to pay the bail amount due to poverty, prolonging their stay in the prison.
Vivek Upadhyay, founder and chairman of the foundation, said that many poor people are unable to pay small amount of bail.
“People who are below the poverty line may have big problem even to pay a few thousands rupees in bail for their release,” he said, adding, “They are forced to stay in jail for four-five years just for failing to pay small amount in bail.”
He further said that many people who return to society after serving jail term often face difficulties while being rehabilitated. People after being released from jail are not easily accepted by the society. They face big problem in getting rehabilitated in the same society.
“If we give no attention to address these issues, such problems will rise in the society,” Upadhyay said, adding that cooperation from all is necessary to distance those coming out of jails from getting involved in criminal activities again.
Society treats the returnees from jail with prejudice. That is why such people are compelled to committee crimes as they have no alternative of sustaining their livelihood, said the participants.
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