(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 31 July 2004, Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels abducted Durga Thapa and five other journalists in Ranibas, Surkhet district. The journalists were accused of not supporting the CPN-Maoist movement. The rebels had warned Thapa 25 days earlier that he could be taken hostage. The journalist is a correspondent for the daily […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 31 July 2004, Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels abducted Durga Thapa and five other journalists in Ranibas, Surkhet district. The journalists were accused of not supporting the CPN-Maoist movement.
The rebels had warned Thapa 25 days earlier that he could be taken hostage. The journalist is a correspondent for the daily “Nepal Samacharpatra” and a district reporter for the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), a human rights organisation. The other journalists who were abducted were Dev Kumari Subedi, of the weekly “Samaya”, Kamal Pant and Ganesh Karki, of the local daily “Bulbule”, Ratna Bahadur Shahi, of Karnali FM, and freelance journalist Shree Bahadur Bhandari. They were all released a short time after their abduction.
In another development, on 1 August, CPN-Maoist rebels barred journalist Sita Niraula from traveling in their stronghold of Taplejung district. Niraula, a district reporter with the daily “Himalayan Times”, was traveling with other local journalists in the area, covering the aftermath of a conflict in Skakranti Bazaar. He was forced to return to Khmalalung. Several journalists were told by the CPN-Maoist area commander, known only as Tejman, to leave the area as they had not received prior authorisation to travel there. The CPN-Maoist commander threatened to take them all into custody if they did not leave the area promptly.
In addition, on 30 July, the Rukum District Administration Office released four journalists from custody after they paid Rs10,000 (approx. US$140) in bail. On 11 July, Narayan Shah, of the weekly “Dristi”, Hari Bisnu Oli, of the daily “Kantipur”, Kamal Prasad Thapa, of the weekly “Chhalphal”, and Dil Bahadur Shahi, of the state-controlled National News Agency (RSS), were arrested for having published news items about Chhekan Shah’s alleged involvement in financial irregularities in the district. Shah is the head of the District Animal Care Office. They were reportedly physically and mentally tortured while in detention.
In a separate incident, on 27 July, Nepal police inspectors Sri Lal Moktan and Bhim Bahadur Khatri assaulted journalist Puspa Raj Gadtaula in Damak, Jhapa district. An editor with the weekly “Puspanjali”, Gadtaula was traveling on official business in the area.
CEHURDES condemns the abductions, beatings and harassment of journalists and repeats its demand for the creation of an environment that is conducive to free and fair reporting. Once again, the organisation urges Nepal police and CPN-Maoist leaders to respect press freedom and freedom of expression.
