(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 7 May 2004, police officers assaulted at least a dozen journalists, including Dipendra Kunwar, Jitendra G.C. and Dinehsh Pande, in the town of Butwal, Rupandehi district, western Nepal. The journalists were severely beaten while they were covering a referendum held in Butwal by Lumbini Commerce Campus students. The police also assaulted other […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 7 May 2004, police officers assaulted at least a dozen journalists, including Dipendra Kunwar, Jitendra G.C. and Dinehsh Pande, in the town of Butwal, Rupandehi district, western Nepal. The journalists were severely beaten while they were covering a referendum held in Butwal by Lumbini Commerce Campus students.
The police also assaulted other journalists, including Sher Bahadur K.C., Yub Raj Pande, Dipendra Baduwal, Ram Prasad Acharya, Bishnu Prasad Ghimire and Bishnu Poudel, at the Saugat Hotel, where they were having lunch after visiting their injured colleagues at the Lumbini Zonal hospital. The journalists who were assaulted work for several local newspapers.
CEHURDES condemns the police officers’ brutal actions. The organisation also urges the chief of the Nepal Police to take action against the officers involved and ensure the safety of journalists and free expression activists, respecting basic standards of press freedom and freedom of expression as well as the fundamental human rights of all citizens.
