(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES has condemned threats against a journalist in eastern Nepal. According to information compiled by CEHURDES, police inspector Sudip Rajbhandari, stationed at the Area Police Office in the eastern town of Itahari, summoned Suman Puri – a reporter affiliated with “Udghosh” daily newspaper, published in the eastern town of Biratnagar – to the […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – CEHURDES has condemned threats against a journalist in eastern Nepal. According to information compiled by CEHURDES, police inspector Sudip Rajbhandari, stationed at the Area Police Office in the eastern town of Itahari, summoned Suman Puri – a reporter affiliated with “Udghosh” daily newspaper, published in the eastern town of Biratnagar – to the police office on 23 June 2006, questioned him in connection with a news item published in the newspaper, and manhandled and threatened him.
The newspaper had reported about an incident of abduction and torture of Hem Prasad Dhamala, a resident of Itahari, allegedly in connivance with police. Police have refuted the allegations.
Puri said Inspector Rajbhandari threatened him with “dire consequences” if his name was implicated in the incident. Puri said he had nothing to do with the news report since he had not written it.
CEHURDES condemns the manhandling and threatening of journalist Puri and demands a probe into the incident. CEHURDES calls upon the authorities to take action against Inspector Rajbhandari, warn him strictly not to repeat such incidents in the future and ensure that journalists are allowed to perform their duty in an environment free of fear and intimidation.
