(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called for a full investigation after security forces killed journalist Padma Raj Devkota in Jumla district, western Nepal, on 7 February 2004. The daily “Samacharpatra”, which reported the killing, said that the editor-in-chief of the local twice weekly “Bhurichula” and correspondent for the national magazine “Nepal Today” was killed by the […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called for a full investigation after security forces killed journalist Padma Raj Devkota in Jumla district, western Nepal, on 7 February 2004.
The daily “Samacharpatra”, which reported the killing, said that the editor-in-chief of the local twice weekly “Bhurichula” and correspondent for the national magazine “Nepal Today” was killed by the army during a routine military operation. The authorities said he was killed with a group of six armed Maoist militants. RSF has called on the interior and defence ministers to carry out a full investigation and punish the perpetrators.
The journalist’s death comes as security forces have arrested or questioned at least five journalists in recent months. Some are still missing and it is feared they may have been tortured during their interrogation. At least 20 journalists are currently behind bars in Nepal and in most cases the government has given no information about their situation.
RSF pointed out that the struggle against the Maoist movement, which has led to many press freedom violations, cannot in any way justify the serious human rights abuses currently being committed in Nepal. The organisation particularly condemns the excessive use of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Control and Punishment) Act, 2002 (TADA).
Journalist and lawyer Jeetaman Basnet was last seen on 4 February talking to three people in uniform in Kathmandu. His family informed the Nepalese Human Rights Commission of his disappearance.
On 1 February, two men in civilian clothes arrested reporter Shakti Raj Bhattarai, of the weekly “Sachar Darpan”, in Pokhara, western Nepal. His family has had no news of him since. They do not know why he was arrested.
On 26 January, security forces arrested Balbhadra Bharati, a correspondent for the national newspaper “Jana Ekta” in Surkhet, western Nepal. The journalist was detained for two days.
On 5 January, Rabindra Shah, managing editor of the weekly “Biswo Jagaran”, was held for one day in Janakpur, Dhanusha district, after his paper carried an article about an army officer.
On 2 January, journalist Maheshwar Pahari, of the local weekly “Rastiya Swabhiman”, was arrested in Khorako Mukh, Kaski district, western Nepal, by men in civilian clothes. The weekly ceased publishing after the Maoist ceasefire was broken in August 2003. Amnesty International reported that the 28-year-old journalist is being held in the Phulbari barracks, near Pokhara. He previously spent 13 months in prison in 2001 and 2002 as he was suspected of being a Maoist sympathiser.
