(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has welcomed the release from prison of five journalists over the past two weeks and called for two others to be immediately freed as well. Bheem Rai, of the weekly “Aujarr”, JB Ghale Magar, deputy chairman of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) in the eastern district of Thankuta, and […]
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has welcomed the release from prison of five journalists over the past two weeks and called for two others to be immediately freed as well.
Bheem Rai, of the weekly “Aujarr”, JB Ghale Magar, deputy chairman of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) in the eastern district of Thankuta, and Teekaram Ghimire, the correspondent for the daily “Udghosh”, were freed on 9 February 2006. Sudarshan Aacharya, of the weekly “White Paper”, and FNJ leader Bhaktadhwaj Bohara were released on 14 February.
However, Shyam Shrestha, editor-in-chief of the opposition monthly “Mulyankan”, remains in custody at the second battalion police barracks in Maharajgunj. He is being held for three months under a security law. Tej Narayan Sapkota, of the weekly “Yojana”, has been detained since November 2003 and is facing legal action.
More journalists were arrested in Nepal last year than in any other country in the world.
