Police arrested Bibeksheel Nepali (BN) party Chairperson Ujwal Thapa and over two dozen protesters in Kathmandu on Thursday (June 25, 2015).

They were detained while demonstrating a peaceful protest outside Soaltee Hotel in Tahachal where the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction was being held. They carried placards that read “Nepal is only open for investment”, “Aid Slavery= Zero Prosperity,” and “Lessons from Hati! No to Aid Addiction.”

Govinda Narayan, from the legislative department of the youth-led party, said the police detained the activists shortly after the conference commenced this morning. ”We want to urge donors to not only provide aid but to invest in Nepal as well,” said Narayan, “ But police said this was not allowed and they had orders from above to make arrests.”

Narayan also posted a message on the official Facebook of the youth-led political party asking the authorities to free the members of the party who have been arrested wrongfully.