(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES condemns the treatment of journalists by the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels and calls on them to respect the basic norms of media freedom and freedom of expression. CEHURDES also calls on CPN rebel leaders to cease attacking journalists and ensure that they are free to carry out their activities. On […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES condemns the treatment of journalists by the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels and calls on them to respect the basic norms of media freedom and freedom of expression. CEHURDES also calls on CPN rebel leaders to cease attacking journalists and ensure that they are free to carry out their activities.
On 8 November 2002, CPN rebels severely beat up Rekhraj Dahal, a reporter for the daily “Prateek”, published in Birgunj, at Hatpate, in Sindhuli district. Dahal, who is also a member of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), was released by the rebels after being severely tortured for eight hours. Dahal had travelled to the region to observe the Tihar festival (festival of light).
Background Information
Following the imposition of a state of emergency in Nepal on 26 November 2001, more than 150 journalists have been arrested in different parts of the country. The state of emergency was lifted on 28 August, but more than two dozen journalists remain in detention. Some journalists have reportedly been tortured, both physically and psychologically. Several detainees’ whereabouts are unknown. There have been no reports of official charges filed against any of the detained journalists.
Furthermore, on 4 October, King Gyanendra assumed all executive powers. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was sacked and elections scheduled for 13 November were postponed for an indefinite period. On 11 October, the king formed a government under monarchist Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chanda, granting him limited powers.
Since February 1996, CPN rebels have been fighting to establish a republican state and abolish Nepal’s constitutional monarchy. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the conflict as a result of actions by the security forces and the rebels. Nearly half of the victims were killed after the state of emergency declaration in 2001. During this time, the rebels killed journalist Nawaraj Sharma (see IFEX alerts of 23 and 22 August 2002) and abducted journalists Demling Lama and Dhan Bahadur Rokka (see IFEX alerts of 11 and 9 April 2002). Lama managed to escape but Rokka’s whereabouts remain unknown.
