(CEHURDES/IFEX) – Kul Bahadur Malla, a correspondent for the weekly “Karnali Sandesh” and member of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), Kalikot, has been missing since June 2003. According to FNJ Kalikot, Malla was abducted by Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels in Khallaghadha, Jubidha Village Development Committee (VDC), Kalikot, while he was taking part […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – Kul Bahadur Malla, a correspondent for the weekly “Karnali Sandesh” and member of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), Kalikot, has been missing since June 2003.
According to FNJ Kalikot, Malla was abducted by Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) rebels in Khallaghadha, Jubidha Village Development Committee (VDC), Kalikot, while he was taking part in a programme organised by the Karnali Integrated Development and Investigation Centre in Jumala district, held on 20 June. His whereabouts remain unknown.
In a separate incident, a group of five suspected CPN-Maoist rebels physically assaulted journalist Kul Bahadur Chemjong on 19 September in Kerkha, Jhapa. They reportedly accused him of keeping his publication open during a national strike. The CPN-Maoists rebels had called a three-day nation-wide strike from 17 to 19 September. Chemjong is associated with the “Blast Times” daily, which publishes in Dharan, eastern Nepal.
CEHURDES has condemned the abduction of and physical assaults on journalists. The organisation has urged CPN-Maoist rebel leaders to respect press freedom and freedom of expression.
