(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES is deeply shocked and concerned over the repeated police actions and abusive attitude against newspapers and journalists, nationwide, in the name of maintaining peace and security during the “emergency”. Newspapers have been raided and seized, and journalists have been arrested and charged, for being closely associated with the underground Communist Party of […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES is deeply shocked and concerned over the repeated police actions and abusive attitude against newspapers and journalists, nationwide, in the name of maintaining peace and security during the “emergency”. Newspapers have been raided and seized, and journalists have been arrested and charged, for being closely associated with the underground Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist).
On 29 November 2001, security personnel took more journalists and media workers said to be sympathetic to the underground Maoists in different parts of the country into custody. According to the daily “Samacharpatra”, police arrested nearly a dozen people, including journalists and management of the pro-Maoist daily “Jana Sangharsha”, in the western town of Butwal. Those arrested include: the daily’s board of directors’ chairman, Benu Ram Pradhan, director Iswor Gautam, managing director Ajay Man Shrestha, former editor-in-chief Bal Krishna Chapagain, consulting editor Basanta Pokhrel, executive editor Sher Bahadur KC and reporter Jitendra GC. Similarly, in the Siraha district of the eastern Terai region, police have taken into custody publisher Sitaram Saha and joint editor Paban Shrestha from the local daily “Janak Awaj”. In the mid-western district of Surkhet, police arrested editor Bishnu Khanal and executive editor Liladhar Gautam from the weekly “Surkhet Post”. Journalist and lawyer Baikuntha Dahal from “Udaypur” in Surkhet was also arrested on November 29.
On 26 November, the police raided the offices of the weekly “Janadesh”, the daily “Janadisha” and the monthly “Dishabodh” and seized press materials and stationery from the publication houses. Shortly after the state of emergency was declared on 26 November, plainclothes policemen also arrested editor Govinda Acharya, executive editor Khil Bahadur Bhandari, reporter Dipak Sapkota and computer operator Rambhakta Maharjan from the weekly “Janadesh” office; executive editor Iswarchandra Gyawali and Manaroshi Dhital from the monthly “Dishabodh”; and editor Om Sharma and computer operator Dipak Mainali from the daily “Janadisha”. On 25 November, the police arrested Nim Bahadur Budhathoki, a computer operator from the monthly “Dishabodh”.
On 28 November, the police and army seized all copies of “The Kathmandu Post”, in Kathmandu, which published a picture of Maoists, titled “Back to Killing Field”, in its “Midweek Post” edition. The police seized other Maoist-related news magazines such as “Dishabodh” and “Naulo Bihani”, in Kathmandu. The police also raided Nawajyoti Offset Press and Bahumukhi Chhapakhana and seized two computers from Nawajyoti Offset Press. Similarly, the police raided the weekly “Chure Sandesh”‘s offices and the home of the weekly’s publisher, Suresh Chandra Adhikary, where they seized copies of newspapers and news materials. On 28 November, the police arrested Nawajyoti Offset Press chairman Tek Bahadur Thapa and his son Anup Thapa.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
– asking them to stop the attacks against journalists and newspapers
– calling on them to end the harassment of journalists and other newspaper personnel in the course of their work
– noting that they must recognise the provisions set out in international human rights agreements ratified by Nepal, especially Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
– demanding that they reveal the journalists’ whereabouts
– requesting that they provide a free and fair news reporting environment, even during a state of emergency
– calling on them to ensure the safety of the arrested journalists
– asking them to respect press freedom and freedom of expression
Appeals To
Rt. Hon. Sher Bahadur Deuwa
Prime Minister
Prime Minister’s Office
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax: +977 1 227286
Hon. Khum Bahadur Khadka
Minister for Home Affairs
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax: +977 1 225156
Hon. Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta
Minister for Information and Communication
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax: +977 1 221729
Pradip Shumsher JB Rana
Inspector General of Police
Police Headquarters
Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax: +977 1 415593
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.