Freedom Forum strongly urges the council to withdraw its request to block the news portal.
This statement was originally published on freedomforum.org.np on 8 May 2023.
Freedom Forum is alarmed over the Press Council Nepal’s order to block an online news portal, www.nationaldainik.com, for its critical content. The council has requested that the Nepal Telecommunications Authority block the portal, following a complaint filed over a news story published on the portal on May 6.
The letter issued on May 7 states that the council found that the portal has violated the journalists’ code of conduct, and the online medium is neither registered nor listed in the council. Thus, the portal should be shut down inside the country till the next decision on the matter.
The news portal had published a news story with audio recording about the alleged involvement of women leaders in defrauding people and taking hefty amounts from them, by luring individuals of foreign country settlement. The council letter states that one of the women leaders had filed a complaint claiming that the news item was ‘fake’ and had attempted to defame her.
Freedom Forum condemns the council’s move to shut down the news portal. The council is an authorized body tasked with monitoring media content and it could have asked the portal to provide clarification – but blocking an entire media outlet for the publication of a news story is a blatant violation of free press and free expression. Press freedom is a constitutionally guaranteed right in Nepal. The Press Council must not be misused by the authorities.
FF therefore strongly urges the council to withdraw this move to block the news portal.
