7 C. Public prosecutors (government attorneys)

Prosecutors hold a double office: they are advocates and public officials exercising state coercive power. Their ethics are correspondingly stricter — the prosecutor is a minister of justice, not a mere case-winner: 1. Institute prosecution only on credible evidence and honest belief in guilt — never to harass; 2. Disclosure — place before the court what is material to the defence, not only what helps the case; 3. Impartiality before the court — assist the court to reach the truth; correct injustices (withdraw unfounded cases, assist appeals of the wrongly convicted); 4. Protect victims' and witnesses' interests; respect the presumption of innocence (Art. 20(5)) publicly and in court; 5. Independence from political instruction in individual cases. In Nepal, prosecution is conducted by government attorneys under the Attorney General (Arts. 157–158), governed by the Advocacy Act, their service laws and codes of conduct issued for government attorneys.