(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Communications and Information Minister Jay Prakash Prasad Gupta, RSF expressed concern about the presentation of a bill to amend the press law. According to Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general, “this draft law contains clauses that do not comply with international commitments made by Nepal, and especially the United Nations’ […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Communications and Information Minister Jay Prakash Prasad Gupta, RSF expressed concern about the presentation of a bill to amend the press law. According to Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general, “this draft law contains clauses that do not comply with international commitments made by Nepal, and especially the United Nations’ International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, that guarantees press freedom.” RSF pointed out that the project also failed to respect Article 13 of the Nepalese Kingdom’s Constitution of 1990, that guarantees press freedom. RSF urged the minister to have the bill withdrawn from parliament. Instead, the organisation called for the introduction of liberal amendments to the press law, including the removal of jail sentences for press offences.
According to information obtained by RSF, on 16 July 2000, the government presented a bill to parliament “…written to amend some laws in the Communications Act – 2057”, including a clause which eliminates the right to a permanent publication licence, and replaces it with a two-year renewable licence. The chief district officer (CDO), representing the State in its seventy-five districts, will be authorised to withdraw or suspend a licence if a media outlet compromises “the sovereignty or integrity of the country”.
