A technician and reporters at a Nepalese radio station were threatened after airing a news story about how some were being lured abroad for employment "with false promises of handsome salaries".
On 13 April 2014, a group of people threatened Suren Shakya, a technician at Khandbari FM,and other reporters working for the radio station over the airing of a news story.
The station is located in Sankhuwasabha, a district in a remote area in eastern Nepal. It reported that “some people were being lured abroad for employment with false promises of handsome salaries”.
According to Shakya, “Some five to seven persons barged into the technical section of the FM station and inquired why the story was being aired and who had given the authority to the station to air the news.”
The Khandbari FM employees were questioned about the content of the story, which they maintained was based on facts and not misleading.
The assailants also threatened to attack Shakya and his colleagues for airing the report.
The police were informed about the incident and apprehended the assailants at the station.
Freedom Forum condemns the threats issued against the media workers for disseminating the factual news story. It commends the police for the quick arrest of the intimidating persons and urges them to further investigate the group so that any attacks can be avoided.
