(CEHURDES/IFEX) – The following is a CEHURDES press release: CEHURDES demands release of detained journos, asks govt. to give up control of state-run media Kathmandu, May 3 – On the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, the Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES) would like to congratulate all the journalists in Nepal […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – The following is a CEHURDES press release:
CEHURDES demands release of detained journos, asks govt. to give up control of state-run media
Kathmandu, May 3 – On the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, the Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES) would like to congratulate all the journalists in Nepal and freedom of expression activists around the world for their tireless work to protect and promote press freedom and freedom of expression in their respective countries.
On this occasion, CEHURDES would like to make a fresh appeal to the newly installed democratic government of Nepal to immediately release three journalists, Tej Narayan Sapkota, Rajendra Gautam and Hum Prasad Basyal. Sapkota is being detained in the Kathmandu valley while Gautam and Basyal are being detained in the western town of Butwal.
CEHURDES also takes this opportunity to call upon the new government, led by veteran democratic leader G P Koirala, to take the initiative to give up state control over state-run Radio Nepal, Nepal Television, and the daily newspapers “Gorkhapatra” and “The Rising Nepal”. CEHURDES demands that the government produce the necessary legislation to convert the structure of these state-run media outlets into cooperatives or publicly run enterprises.
We believe that by giving up state control over the state-run media, the government would be doing a great service to the nation by allowing the Nepali people to have access to unbiased, free and credible sources of information. As the country is debating the form and content of a new Constitution, to be drafted by a constituent assembly, independent and public-sector media would go a long way to build public opinion through the dissemination of news, views and analysis in a professional and independent way.
CEHURDES also salutes Nepali journalists for their courage in fighting relentlessly to promote press freedom and freedom of expression and to reject all designs against independent media put in place by the royal regime. The reinstatement of the dissolved parliament and formation of a government comprised of the Seven Party Alliance has changed the situation significantly, but there still is a need to work a great deal to repeal all the restrictive laws and ordinances issued by the royal government and to make pro-active laws and regulations to ensure press freedom and freedom of expression, as guaranteed by the 1990 Constitution of Nepal 1990.
