(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 1 August 2002, Communist Party of Nepal (CPN, Maoist) rebels abducted Dhan Bahadur Rokka Magar from a bus, while he was traveling in Jaluke, a place which borders the Rolpa and Pyuthan districts in mid-western Nepal. Magar is a news reader in the Kham Magar language and works in the Surkhet station […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 1 August 2002, Communist Party of Nepal (CPN, Maoist) rebels abducted Dhan Bahadur Rokka Magar from a bus, while he was traveling in Jaluke, a place which borders the Rolpa and Pyuthan districts in mid-western Nepal. Magar is a news reader in the Kham Magar language and works in the Surkhet station of state-owned Radio Nepal. Magar was among half a dozen people kidnapped by the Maoist rebels. Purna Bahadur Shahi, an assistant officer with the British charity Gorkha Welfare Trust, was also abducted from the same place.
CEHURDES condemns the journalist’s abduction by CPN rebels. CEHURDES also urges the CPN leaders to ensure the safety of journalists and allow free access in their strongholds.
Background Information
Further to the imposition of a “state of emergency” in Nepal on 26 November 2001, more than 100 journalists have been arrested in different parts of the country. More than two dozen journalists remain in detention. Some journalists have reportedly been tortured, both physically and psychologically. Several detainees’ whereabouts remain unknown. There have been no reports of official charges filed against any of the arrested journalists.
