(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES is shocked and condemns the continuous actions against, and harassment of, media workers by the administration and security forces during the current “state of emergency” period. Since the declaration of a state of emergency, the security forces have arrested over four dozen journalists nationwide. These actions are totally unacceptable under internationally-accepted press […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES is shocked and condemns the continuous actions against, and harassment of, media workers by the administration and security forces during the current “state of emergency” period.
Since the declaration of a state of emergency, the security forces have arrested over four dozen journalists nationwide. These actions are totally unacceptable under internationally-accepted press freedom and freedom of expression norms.
On 9 January 2002, the police arrested Lal Prasad Sharma, a reporter from “Kantipur Daily”, in Kusma, Parbat district (western Nepal). According to “Kantipur Daily”, Sharma was arrested on the charge of reporting news related to the military’s involvement in the killings of disabled children during their operations. Similarly, the security forces arrested Vijaya Raj Acharya, a Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) council member, on 8 January in Kathmandu, without any clear charge.
Also on 9 January, the police prevented local journalists from private publications in Kohalpur, Pipari (near Nepalgunj), Banke district (western Nepal), from reporting on Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Mahesh Acharya’s inauguration of a milk factory operated by the Bageswari Milk Refinery Cooperatives Ltd.
On 7 January, police in Siliguri (West Bengal State, India), arrested journalist Kamal Mishra. According to the FNJ, Mishra had been admitted to Paramount Hospital for medical treatment. He was arrested immediately after being discharged.
In this critical situation, CEHURDES demands that all concerned authorities create an accessible environment for free and fair news reporting and stop the harassment and psychological torture of journalists.
