[JURIST] Nepalese police arrested at least 400 Tibetan exiles, monks, and other protesters near the Nepalese UN headquarters [official website] in Kathmandu Monday as demonstrations continued against China's recent crackdown against pro-Tibet protests [BBC backgrounder]. Police reported that an additional 155 arrests were made near governmental offices in Singhadurbar. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights [official website] has criticized Nepal [press release, PDF] for its actions against protesters and for restricting the right to peaceful assembly.

Rights groups have criticized China for ongoing human rights violations [HRW materials] targeted at Tibetans, and many call for the total independence [advocacy website] of the currently "semi-autonomous" region. The Dalai Lama, who accused China last week of committing "cultural genocide" [JURIST report] in Tibet, has encouraged the protests but said he will step down [AFP report] if the violence in the region worsens. AP has more.