Country Reports on Human Rights Practices-2019 released by the US Department of State on March 11, revealed that there were several reports that the Government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, reports The Himalayan Times. Citing human rights activists and legal experts, the report stated that Police resorted to severe abuse, primarily beatings and forced confessions. Advocacy Forum-Nepal (AFN) reported no evidence of major changes in police abuse trends across the country, but AFN stated that police increasingly complied with the courts’ demand for preliminary medical checks of detainees. Both AFN and Tarai Human Rights Defenders Alliance stated that torture victims were often hesitant to file complaints due to Police intimidation and fear of retribution.