Mithilesh Yadav was threatened by a police constable over a news report about ongoing criminal activities such as beatings, abductions and explosions in Lahan.
(FNJ/IFEX) – The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) is seriously concerned over the incident of a journalist being threatened by security personnel in Lahan, Siraha (eastern region of Nepal) on 10 July 2012.
Mithilesh Yadav, a member of FNJ’s Siraha Chapter and a Lahan-based journalist for Nagarik daily, was threatened by a police constable over a news report about ongoing criminal activities such as beatings, abductions and explosions in Lahan in the last five months.
Yadav told FNJ’s Media Monitoring Unit that he was mistreated while he was at the Ward Police Office on an assignment to follow-up on his report. Yadav added that the Senior Superintend of Police, Govinda Niraoula, told him on the phone that he (Yadav) “would get what he deserves for his writings” and asked him not to write negative reports about the police when a complaint was lodged about the incident.
FNJ strongly condemns the incident. FNJ requests the government to take strong action against the guilty and provide a secure and work-friendly environment for journalists.
