(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 6 January 2004, the security forces assaulted journalists Bal Ram Baniya, Ghana Shyam Ojha, Ajaya Siwakoti, Rohit Dahal, Sita Ram Parajuli and Prabin Dhakal in Ratna Park, Kathmandu. The journalists were brutally beaten while they were gathering information on a protest rally against the king’s assumption of executive power, which took place […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 6 January 2004, the security forces assaulted journalists Bal Ram Baniya, Ghana Shyam Ojha, Ajaya Siwakoti, Rohit Dahal, Sita Ram Parajuli and Prabin Dhakal in Ratna Park, Kathmandu. The journalists were brutally beaten while they were gathering information on a protest rally against the king’s assumption of executive power, which took place on 4 October 2002. The rally had been organised by the major political parties.
Baniya and Ojha are associated with the “Kantipur” and “The Kathmandu Post” daily newspapers. Siwakoti, Dahal, Parajuli and Dhakal are associated with Image Metro television station and the weekly “Budhabar”. Dilip Pokhrel and Dilip Thapa Magar, camera operators for Image Metro television station, were also injured in the same incident.
CEHURDES condemns the security forces’ brutality and urges them to respect basic standards of press freedom, freedom of expression and the fundamental human rights of journalists and other citizens.
