[JURIST] Nepalese King Gyanendra [official profile] Friday lifted the house arrest of Nepali Congress [political party website] Girija Prasad Koirala and freed nearly 257 other people detained after he declared a state of emergency in February [JURIST report]. Three weeks ago King Gyanendra lifted similar house arrest restrictions placed on former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba [biography]. Since disbanding the country's government, King Gyanendra has ordered top political leaders to be kept under house arrest, and supporters and activists jailed. Some suspect that Gyanendra's recent decisions to release some prisoners and ease restrictions have been prompted by Britain and India's decisions to cut aid, and similar threats by the United States and other countries. AP has more.