(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES, a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group, condemns the latest attacks on journalists, the bombing of the relay station of the state-owned Nepal Television and the detention of a newspaper editor in far-western Nepal. In what have become on-going incidents of manhandling and attacks on media personnel, police manhandled a group of […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES, a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group, condemns the latest attacks on journalists, the bombing of the relay station of the state-owned Nepal Television and the detention of a newspaper editor in far-western Nepal.
In what have become on-going incidents of manhandling and attacks on media personnel, police manhandled a group of journalists as they were covering a pro-democracy demonstration at New Road in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, on 24 January 2006. A camera belonging to Chandra Bista of the private-sector Channel Nepal Television was damaged when the police fired water canons to disperse the opposition activists.
In a separate incident, a district-based reporter with “Annapurna Post” daily, Mahendra Thapa, sustained injuries on his head, knee and left hand when police beat him brutally. Thapa was covering protests being carried out by student bodies affiliated to the opposition parties in the western Terai district of Rupandehi. Thapa has alleged that he was intentionally targeted by the police. Thapa has returned to his house after undergoing treatment at the Lumbini Zonal hospital.
In the far-western town of Mahendranagar, local authorities arrested Khem Bhandari, editor and publisher of “Abhiyan” daily newspaper, on 21 January.
According to reports, Bhandari was manhandled and arrested as he was returning to his residence from the office on the evening of 21 January. Unconfirmed reports said Bhandari, who has been writing fearlessly against the irregularities committed by officials in the region, was subjected to torture while in custody.
The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) has sent a fact-finding mission to Mahendranagar to probe into Bhandari’s detention. Bhandari had been arrested twice after the royal takeover of 1 February 2005.
In yet another incident, Maoist rebels bombed and destroyed the relay tower of the state-owned Nepal Television (NTV) at Hetauda last week. According to reports, a group of armed rebels forced security guards at the station out and exploded bombs at the relay tower located at ward no. 9 of Hetauda municipality on 18 January.
The rebels had also caused explosions targeting facilities of the state-run NTV and Radio Nepal in various parts of the country in the past.
CEHURDES condemns the continued attacks on and mistreatment of journalists by security personnel. CEHURDES urges His Majesty’s Government of Nepal not to repeat such incidents and to honor its commitment to press freedom and freedom of expression.
Cehurdes is concerned about the safety of editor Bhandari and urges the authorities to release him immediately from the illegal detention and not to harass and intimidate him.
Cehurdes also appeals to the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) rebels not to target and destroy communications facilities since such acts deprive people of their right to information.
