BBC journalist prevented from working in Mount Everest area
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES, a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group, expresses concern over the restrictions imposed by authorities on a journalist in the base camp area of Mount Everest. Charles Haviland, a BBC journalist, was impeded by ministry of tourism officials from reporting from the base camp on 28 April 2008. “Just a short while […]
CEHURDES condemns YCL attack on “Sindhu Prabaha” weekly, threats of future retaliation for coverage
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES condemns the seizure of copies of a newspaper and threats issued to the editorial team of “Sindhu Prabaha”, a weekly Nepali-language newspaper, published in the Sindhupalchok district, central Nepal. According to reports, a group of Young Communist League (YCL) members affiliated with the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) forcibly entered the private […]
Militants angered by coverage attack press vehicle, burn newspapers, injure worker
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES condemns an act of vandalism directed at a vehicle transporting newspapers for distribution in southern Nepal. On 7 March 2008, a jeep belonging to Kantipur Publications was stopped by a group of seven people while passing through Babhanagamakatti village, in Saptari district. The assailants are believed to be cadres of the separatist […]
UN Mission staff abuse journalists in Bethan; community radio station vandalised in Panchthar
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES – a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group – is concerned by the reports of abuses committed against journalists in Bethan by staff of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), and by an attack on a community radio station in Panchthar. On 4 March 2008 a group of journalists travelled to […]
Local newspaper editor shot to death, allegedly by rebel group, in Parsa
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES condemns the killing of journalist Pushkar Shrestha in Parsa district. On 13 January 2008, Shrestha, editor of the local newspaper “Highway Weekly”, published in Birgunj, a southern town bordering India, was shot to death by armed individuals suspected to belong to the militant group Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-Jwala Singh faction). Reports […]
CEHURDES condemns disruption in newspaper group’s operations by Maoist-affiliated union
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES, a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group, condemns the disruption in Kantipur Publication group’s newspapers by Maoist-affiliated trade union. The Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Communication, Printing and Publication Workers’ Union disrupted the collection and publication of advertisements in Kantipur Publication’s newspapers on 26 September 2007. “The Maoist fraternal organization has started working to […]
Singer-journalist kidnapped by Maoist-affiliated group for expressing support for the monarchy
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES – a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group – condemns the abduction of singer and former journalist Ram Prasad Khanal by activists of the Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL). Khanal was abducted from Bhairahawa, in Rupandehi district of southern Nepal, on 8 September 2007 by a team led by the district chief […]
Maoist-affiliated union again disrupts distribution of two newspapers, issues death threat
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES condemns the renewed disruption of distribution of two daily newspapers by a Maoist-affiliated trade union, and the death threat the union allegedly issued against anyone who contradicts their orders. On 11 August 2007, two weeks after the same group disrupted the distribution of “Annapurna Post” and “The Himalayan Times” daily newspapers, the […]
Distribution of two major dailies halted by trade union action
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES condemns the disruption of distribution of two daily newspapers by a Maoist-affiliated trade union. In a disturbing repeat of a tactic employed by Maoist-affiliated workers to disrupt publication of “Nepal Samacharpatra” daily a few weeks before, the workers halted distribution of “Annapurna Post” and “The Himalayan Times”. In a 21 July 2007 […]
Right to Information Bill passed into law
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES welcomes the passage of the Right to Information (RTI) Bill by the Legislature-Parliament, unanimously approved on 18 July 2007. The new law ensures: the right of every Nepali citizen to obtain any information from government bodies as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are operating with the support of the government, a […]
Commander of armed group issues death threats against six journalists over coverage
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – A military commander named Prabhu, member of the armed group that goes by the name of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-Jwala Singh faction), issued a “threat to take physical action” against six journalists based in southern Rautahat district. Prabhu accused the journalists of having broadcast news on the FM station Radio Birgunj, in […]
Bomb thrown at vehicle transporting journalists in troubled Terai region
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES is deeply concerned over an attempt to bomb a vehicle carrying journalists in eastern Nepal. Amid the ongoing unrest in the south-eastern plains region of the country, known as Terai or Madhes, where various armed groups are actively demanding autonomy and acknowledgment of their ethnic rights, a number of journalists came under […]
Armed insurgents threaten broadcast journalists with physical assault over reporting
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES is gravely concerned over serious threats that armed insurgents active in the south-east issued to journalists from Image Channel network. The Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-Goit faction) has issued threats of physical violence against reporters of Image Television and Image FM in response to their coverage of the recent abduction of a […]
Maoist youth cadre threatens journalist with death; bomb hurled at publication office
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES expresses grave concern over death threats issued to a journalist working in far western Nepal. On 26 March 2007, a Maoist cadre named “Prem” threatened journalist Khem Bhandari on the basis of a news story he wrote about Maoists trying to force compensation from contractors of a local bridge. Bhandari is the […]
Militant armed group warns media against reporting during general strike in Banke district
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES is taken aback by news reports of some organizations vowing to stop reporting of news and publication of newspapers in some parts of the country. According to the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), activists of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) – which has re-launched its activism in the Terai region (southern plains), […]
Demonstrators attack media offices and journalists, set fire to radio station property, beat three journalists, threaten another with death; newspapers stop publishing in protest
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES condemns the targeted attack by a section of protesters staging demonstrations in the eastern region of Terai in Nepal during the latter half of January 2007 (see IFEX alert of 26 and 22 January 2007). On 28 January, protesters in Birgunj city targeted media houses and reporters. According to the “Kantipur” daily […]