(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 29 August 2004, security forces reportedly killed journalist Badri Khadka in Morang district, eastern Nepal. He was arrested in the Kalyanpur area and killed in Govindapur-7, in the Larikata area. Eyewitnesses told the media that Khadka was brutally tortured after his arrest. The security forces earlier denied having arrested Khadka, saying he […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 29 August 2004, security forces reportedly killed journalist Badri Khadka in Morang district, eastern Nepal. He was arrested in the Kalyanpur area and killed in Govindapur-7, in the Larikata area. Eyewitnesses told the media that Khadka was brutally tortured after his arrest.
The security forces earlier denied having arrested Khadka, saying he may have been killed in crossfire with Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels. CPN-Maoist sources said he was a member of their publication department for the Mechi and Koshi region. They allege that the army kidnapped and killed Khadka.
Khadka was working as a regional reporter for “Janadesh Weekly”. The weekly is believed to be the CPN-Maoist’s mouthpiece and is currently disseminated solely on the Internet.
CEHURDES condemns the killing of journalists and urges the security forces’ chief and CPN-Maoist rebels to stop all forms of attacks on journalists and free expression activists. The organisation also calls on all parties to respect press freedom, freedom of expression and citizen’s civil liberties.
