The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) is very concerned over the disappearance of a radio journalist who went missing on the evening of 16 September 2012.
(FNJ/IFEX) – 25 September 2012 – The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) is very concerned over the disappearance of a radio journalist who went missing on the evening of 16 September 2012 from Taplejung (Eastern Region of Nepal). Madan Poudel, who is affiliated with Radio Tamor 102 MHz, was last seen at Fulbari, Taplejung where he was attending an event called “Taplejung Dance Star 2069”.
The incident is suspicious as well as mysterious as journalist Poudel went missing the same day he reached Fulbari. FNJ calls on the local administration to immediately investigate the incident and punish the guilty.
FNJ also calls on human rights activists, civil society representatives, media persons and media related organisations for assistance in ascertaining the whereabouts of radio journalist Poudel.
In a separate incident, a journalist was mistreated and threatened with death by Prabin Pandey, a teacher at the Buddha Secondary School in Rautahat (Central Region of Nepal), for no apparent reason. On 24 September, Pandey threatened journalist Madhan Thakur who is also the treasurer of FNJ’s Routahat Chapter.
FNJ believes that the local administration should initiate measures to prevent such incidents from reoccurring. The educational sector has been shamed by the fact that such a responsible person involved in the academic field has resorted to such an act.
