(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 13 November 2003, Royal Nepal Army personnel interrogated Babita Basnet, editor of the weekly “Ghatana Ra Bichar”, for approximately one-and-a-half hours. The security forces asked her about a news report on Lieutenant General Bibek Kumar Shah in the weekly’s 12 November edition. King Gyanendra reportedly dismissed Shah from his position as military […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 13 November 2003, Royal Nepal Army personnel interrogated Babita Basnet, editor of the weekly “Ghatana Ra Bichar”, for approximately one-and-a-half hours. The security forces asked her about a news report on Lieutenant General Bibek Kumar Shah in the weekly’s 12 November edition. King Gyanendra reportedly dismissed Shah from his position as military secretary earlier in the week.
Army sources claimed that the editor was called in for a “friendly talk.” However, Basnet told “The Kathmandu Post” that “the army asked [her] the source of the story and let [her] go under condition that [she] should report to them whenever summoned.”
Basnet is also associated with “Sancharika Samuha”, an organisation of women journalists, and is a member of the International Press Institute Nepal National Committee.
In a separate incident, the Royal Nepal Army released poet Balaram Sharma, also known as Purna Biram, on 13 November. He was arrested by the security forces on 29 August. His whereabouts had remained unknown after his arrest.
CEHURDES condemns the questioning of Basnet by the military. CEHURDES further urges the chief of the security forces to stop harassing journalists and free-expression activists immediately and calls on the authorities to respect basic norms of press freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of movement and other fundamental human rights.
