(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 13 March 2003, authorities released “Baglung Weekly” editor Badri Prasad Sharma. He had been detained for 15 months, along with a number of other local journalists. Sharma was arrested by security forces on 25 December 2001, after the imposition of a state of emergency in the country. He was detained in the […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 13 March 2003, authorities released “Baglung Weekly” editor Badri Prasad Sharma. He had been detained for 15 months, along with a number of other local journalists.
Sharma was arrested by security forces on 25 December 2001, after the imposition of a state of emergency in the country. He was detained in the Baglung district, and did not receive a fair trial.
CEHURDES welcomes Sharma’s release. The organisation urges the authorities to release
all remaining journalists in detention, and to respect press freedom and freedom of expression.
Background Information
Following the imposition of a state of emergency on 26 November 2001, more than 150 journalists were arrested in different parts of the country. The state of emergency was lifted on 29 August 2002, but more than a dozen journalists remain in detention. Some journalists have reportedly been physically and psychologically tortured. Several detainees’ whereabouts are unknown. There have been no reports of official charges filed against any of the detained journalists.
