Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 24 October 2003, security forces arrested journalist Yogesh Rawal in Tikapur, Kailali district. A reporter for the daily “Rajdhani”, Rawal was arrested, along with 22 local soccer players, by officers of the Armed Police Force (APF) based in Ugratara. The soccer players were celebrating a victory in a local hotel. The APF […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 19 October 2003, unidentified individuals abducted Baikuntha Bhandari, co-editor of “Nepal Today” magazine, from his residence in Dhumbarahai, Kathmandu. His whereabouts are currently unknown. The daily “Nepal Samacharpatra” reported that, in an 18 October telephone call, Bhandari was told to pay 200,000 Nepalese rupees (approx. US$ 2,700) or he would be killed. […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 18 October 2003, the security forces once again arrested Subhashankar Kandel at his residence in Banasthali, Kathmandu. He was released the next day. Kandel, executive editor of the weekly “Janadharana”, had previously been arrested on 9 September and then released on 1 October. Kandel is associated with the Image Metro television station. […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 16 September 2003, security forces arrested Bandhu Dev Pandey, from Naradevi, Kathmandu. Pandey is the owner of Ashiwairya Press. He also works with Raktakali Press and is affiliated with the progressive literary magazine “Kalam”. In a separate incident, on 1 October, security forces arrested journalist Raju Chhetri in Pokhara, Kaski district. Chhetri […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels have reportedly expelled journalist Chitra Bahadur Singh “Gaunley” from their village in Kalikot district. On 13 October 2003, the daily “Kantipur” reported that Singh fled the district with his wife Jamuna and four-month-old baby. A resident of Odanku-5, Dillikot, Singh has been working as a district correspondent […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 11 October 2003, plainclothes security forces arrested Subindra Budhamagar, publisher of the monthly magazine “Nischal”, in Balaju, Kathmandu. Security forces also raided his rented room and confiscated his mobile phone. The same day, security forces raided the premises of Inderni Offset Printing Press in Baghbazar, Kathmandu, where “Nischal” is printed. Security forces […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 21 September 2003, plainclothes security force personnel arrested journalist Navin Pun (also known as “Bivas”) in Kirtipur, Kathmandu. Pun is a member of the Nepal Indigenous Journalists’ Association (NIJA). Although he is a resident of Rangkot, Rolpa district, Pun is currently living in Dang. He is involved in literary activities and has […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – Kul Bahadur Malla, a correspondent for the weekly “Karnali Sandesh” and member of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), Kalikot, has been missing since June 2003. According to FNJ Kalikot, Malla was abducted by Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels in Khallaghadha, Jubidha Village Development Committee (VDC), Kalikot, while he was taking part […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 29 August 2003, the security forces arrested popular poet Balram Sharma, also known as Poorna Biram, at his residence in Shiphal, Kathmandu. According to Balram Sharma’s family, two plainclothes policemen who claimed to be from Singha Darbar Ward Police Station took him in for questioning. His whereabouts remain unknown. On 16 September, […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 13 September 2003, security forces arrested journalist Prem Nath Joshi while he was sleeping at his home in Lazimpat, Kathmandu, and took him in for questioning. Joshi has been a freelance journalist for many years. He has also been publishing and editing “Shangrila Voice”, an English-language monthly magazine. His whereabouts remain unknown. […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 13 September 2003, security forces arrested Sita Ram Baral, a journalist with the weekly “Jana Astha”, and took him in for questioning. Baral has been involved in journalism for nearly 10 years. His whereabouts remain unknown. According to his wife, Sharmila Sharma Baral, and brother, Krishna Prasad Baral, the journalist was detained […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 11 September 2003, police officers broke up a rally of journalists on Exhibition Road in Kathmandu and dispersed 200 journalists. Journalist organisations had planned to protest the brutal killing of Gyanendra Khadka, a reporter with the state-run National News Agency (RSS), on 7 September. Khadka was murdered by Communist Party of Nepal […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 8 September 2003, security forces physically assaulted photojournalist Rajendra Chitrakar while he was taking pictures in Baluwatar, Kathmandu. Chitrakar works for the state-owned daily “Gorkhapatra”. In a separate incident that same day, journalist Prajash Silwal and photojournalist Rojan Rai, of the daily “Himalayan Times”, were assaulted by security forces in Bijuli Bazar, […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 7 September 2003, Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels brutally killed journalist Gyanendra Khadka, aged 35, in Sindhupalchowk district. At about 4:00 p.m. (local time), a group of Maoists entered a school in Jyamire where Khadka was attending a parents’ meeting. The rebels told him to come outside, saying they needed to […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 28 August 2003, a group of Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels threatened journalist Resham Birahi in Dhamboji Chowk, Nepalgiunj, Banke district (western Nepal), at about 9:00 p.m. (local time), as he was on his way home. The rebels warned Birahi, “the ongoing war is a decisive one. So, do not write […]

(CEHURDES/IFEX) – Ram Hari Chaulagain, a reporter for “Sanghu” weekly, has been missing since the afternoon of 28 August 2003. Chaulagain was last seen in New Baneswar being escorted to a vehicle by unidentified men. According to a “Sanghu” press release, the unidentified men are believed to be army personnel. CEHURDES condemns the journalist’s abduction […]