600 women arrested in Tibet protest

Police say more than 600 female Tibetan protesters, many of them nuns, were detained in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu while demonstrating against China’s crackdown in their homeland.

The protesters held three separate rallies in Kathmandu today but were stopped by police.

Police official R.P. Dhamala says more than 600 protesters were detained.

It was the largest number of protesters detained in a single day since Tibetan exiles began almost daily protests in March against Chinese policies in Tibet. It was also the first time only women demonstrated.

Nepal has said it will not allow protests against China that might jeopardise its close relations with its giant neighbour.