(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Withot Borders has called on the Nepalese government to stop arresting journalists and other media workers, 97 of whom have been detained and 24 others injured during nationwide pro-democracy demonstrations since 5 April 2006, and to allow all journalists to move around freely so they can do their job. The worldwide press […]
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Withot Borders has called on the Nepalese government to stop arresting journalists and other media workers, 97 of whom have been detained and 24 others injured during nationwide pro-democracy demonstrations since 5 April 2006, and to allow all journalists to move around freely so they can do their job.
The worldwide press freedom organization and member of the International mission for press freedom in Nepal, demanded that the 20 or so journalists and media workers that are still detained be released at once. RSF also condemned the violence used in the arrests and called for privately-owned media to urgently be given official permits to travel during day and night curfew hours imposed in several cities.
Media workers reporting on the protests have been threatened, injured or arrested, including many leaders of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) who were targeted by security forces. Most were arrested by the police and army without warrants.
Thirty-eight journalists were picked up between 7 and 9 April, including Diwakar Pant, a reporter for the radio station Nepal FM 91.8. Kanak Dixit, editor of “Himal South Asia”, was arrested for a second time while defying the curfew with human rights activists. Jagat Saud, correspondent of the daily “Farwest Times”, and Prayag Joshi, of the daily “Sudur Sandesh”, were arrested and beaten by police in the western town of Dhanghadi on 10 April even though they showed their press cards.
Tej Prakash Pandit, president of the National Union of Journalists, was beaten by police in Kathmandu on 9 April and 18 other journalists were arrested in the west-central town of Butwal while demonstrating against the arrest of colleagues. The same day, protesters in Kathmandu attacked vehicles of the daily “Himalayan Times” and the “Annapurna Post”. Soldiers attacked the offices of the “Paradarshi Daily” in central Chitwan.
