KATHMANDU, March 13: Activists from five Nepalese political parties will risk arrest and hold nationwide protests on Monday (today) against King Gyanendra’s seizure of power last month, a spokesman for one party said.

An alliance of five parties demanding the restoration of democracy has scheduled rallies in the capital Kathmandu and other cities, despite the king’s ban on protests, Nepali Congress spokesman Shovakar Parajuli said on Sunday.

“The Nepali Congress has asked its activists, office bearers and those affiliated unit members to court arrest voluntarily,” Parajuli said.

The protest will be the second in a week organized by political parties.

More than 200 people, including five former ministers and several former lawmakers, were arrested during a protest Tuesday against King Gyanendra’s seizure of power on February 1.

The king said he sacked the government and took control after the previous administration had failed to halt a Maoist rebellion that has claimed more than 11,000 lives since 1996.

Deposed prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and 17 other people arrested after the king took power were freed from house arrest on Friday. Deuba on Saturday called for non-violent protests to restore democracy.

Monday’s protest will coincide with the start of a UN Human Rights Conference in Geneva that is expected to criticize King Gyanendra’s actions.

Nepal’s Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey left for Geneva Saturday to attend the UN meeting.

On Sunday three students were taken into police custody after a protest against the king by about a dozen student union representatives in Kathmandu.

The Nepali Congress, the country’s largest political party, will be joined at Monday’s protest by the Nepal Communist Party-United Marxist and Leninist, and the student wings of both parties, Parajuli said.

The other members of the alliance are Nepali Congress (Democratic), the People’s Front Nepal and pro-India Nepal Sadbhavana Party.—AFP