Freedom Forum welcomed the arrest of Hari Lal Pun, one of the individuals convicted for the killing of journalist Thapa. It acknowledged that the arrest is important in addressing the impunity for crimes against journalists in Nepal.
This statement was originally published on freedomforum.org on 16 December 2020.
The Nepal Police has arrested another individual convicted in the murder of journalist Dekendra Thapa. Hari Lal Pun was apprehended from his residence in Dailekh district on December 15, 2020. Dailekh is situated in Karnali Province, Nepal.
Following the Dailekh District Court’s verdict on December 7, 2014 calling for the arrest of nine perpetrators involved in the murder, five individuals, including Pun, have been arrested. However, Pun had fled before completing the remaining four months in jail of his term, according to police sources.
Journalist Thapa was abducted and subsequently killed by then CPN-Maoist cadres on August 10, 2004. He was abducted from Chhanna Bazar of Bhawani VDC on June 4, 2004.
In other recent developments, among four other fugitives Bam Bahadur Khadka was also taken into custody last March.
Though delayed, it is laudable that the state is showing concern over the long entrenched impunity for crimes against journalists in Nepal. It is worth mentioning that three individuals convicted in the murders of journalist Birendra Sah and Dekendra Thapa have been arrested in the year 2020.
FF further urges the concerned authority to pay heed to other pending cases and cater justice to the victims’ families.
