(FNJ/IFEX) – On 10 April 2006, at around 2:00 p.m. (local time), in Ratnanagar, Chitwan, various journalists reporting on protest activities organized by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) were beaten by police, even after displaying their press credentials. Assaulted were: Keshav Bhattarai, an FNJ central council member, and Narayan Dhungana, reporter from the publication “Bargikrit […]
(FNJ/IFEX) – On 10 April 2006, at around 2:00 p.m. (local time), in Ratnanagar, Chitwan, various journalists reporting on protest activities organized by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) were beaten by police, even after displaying their press credentials. Assaulted were: Keshav Bhattarai, an FNJ central council member, and Narayan Dhungana, reporter from the publication “Bargikrit Dainik”.
Dhungana received minor injuries. Bhattarai returned home after being treated at a local hospital.
At about 1:00 p.m. on 11 April, ten journalists were arrested at a protest rally organized against the nation-wide arrests and attacks on journalists and professionals, in Chitwan, Central District. Those arrested included Bishnu Chimeki, an FNJ central committee member; Janak Aryal, president of FNJ-Chitwan Chapter; Narayan Sapkota and Babu Ram Ghimire, secretary and treasurer of FNJ-Chitwan respectively; as well as journalists Krishna Giri, Hari Prasad Pokhrel, Binod Adhikari, Sanad Kumar Chaudhari, Anup Raj Kanel and Hari Prasad Upreti. All have been detained at Women’s Police Academy in Chitwan.
In a separate incident on 11 April at 1:45 p.m., Lavdev Dhungana, president of FNJ-Pachthar Chapter, was brutally beaten by police as he participated in a rally organized to protest the ongoing arrests and attacks on journalists and professionals.
Five police personnel surrounded him and beat him brutally, even after he showed them his identity card. Dhungana received severe injuries to the head and was treated in hospital, receiving four stitches to a head wound.
The FNJ has issued a press release strongly condemning the arrests and attacks, and asking for the immediate release of all detained journalists and for action to be taken to punish the guilty.