(CEHURDES/IFEX) – The following is a CEHURDES press release: CEHURDES condemns threat against journalists (Kathmandu, July 12 – The Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES) – a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group – has condemned the threat against four journalists by local political leaders in western Nepal. According to information compiled by […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – The following is a CEHURDES press release:
CEHURDES condemns threat against journalists
(Kathmandu, July 12 – The Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES) – a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group – has condemned the threat against four journalists by local political leaders in western Nepal.
According to information compiled by CEHURDES, on 8 July 2006 local political leaders, including Madhav Prasad Regmi, the secretary of the Nepali Congress district committee in Myagdi, in the western region, along with other political cadres, threatened and warned chief editor Taranath Sharma of “Rupse” weekly and journalists Suraj KC, Prakash Poudel and Bal Krishna Subedi, affiliated with the same newspaper.
According to Sharma, Regmi expressed his objection to a news item published in the newspaper saying that he was involved in hiding Rudra Bahadur KC, a member of the now disbanded royal advisory council. The news report was based on the findings of youth organizations affiliated to the ruling Seven Party Alliance.
Sharma told CEHURDES over the phone that Regmi and others threatened them and warned of dire consequences over the news item. Sharma said he feared physical assault or other forms of threats from the local political leaders.
CEHURDES condemns the threats against the four journalists affiliated to “Rupse” weekly and calls upon the authorities to probe into the incident and ensure the safety and security of media personnel, including Sharma. We also call upon the Nepali Congress leadership to probe into the incident, ask Regmi to apologize and warn him not to repeat such incidents in the future.
In a letter to the editor published in “Kantipur” daily – a leading newspaper published in Kathmandu – on 12 July (in response to a news item published on 11 July), Nepali Congress district secretary Regmi and others claimed that they had not threatened Sharma and others in connection with the publication of the news report. They also claimed that the news report was based on what they called “baseless findings.”
CEHURDES sees the incident as high-handedness and an act of bias towards the media by Regmi and others. We believe that they could have sent their side of the story to the newspaper rather than resorting to issuing threats against the journalists.
Sharma said he filed a case against Regmi and others at the District Administration Office in Myagdi on 12 July. CEHURDES is monitoring the situation and is concerned about the safety and security of the journalists, including Sharma.
