(RSF/IFEX) – In a 17 August 1999 letter to the Nepalese Prime Minister, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, RSF protested the detention of three Nepalese journalists working for pro-Maoist newspapers. Reminding the prime minister that Nepal “has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 19 of which guarantees the freedom to inform and to […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a 17 August 1999 letter to the Nepalese Prime Minister,
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, RSF protested the detention of three Nepalese
journalists working for pro-Maoist newspapers. Reminding the prime minister
that Nepal “has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, Article 19 of which guarantees the freedom to inform and to be
informed,” RSF asked Bhattarai “to ensure that the journalists arrested are
immediately released if they were exercising their duties or expressing
their opinions peacefully.” RSF also asked that “the police or the
government do not use the fight against the Maoists as a pretext to muzzle
the opposition press.”
**New case and update to IFEX alerts of 22 April and 21 April 1999**
On 12 August, a correspondent of “Jana Awhwan” weekly, based in Kailali (800
kilometres west of Kathmandu), was arrested by policemen. He is currently
being held in police custody at Mahendranagar in Kailali district. Two other
journalists have been held since April 1999. Amar Budha, of “Yojana” weekly,
was arrested on 9 April in Gaighat (Udayapur district, central Nepal) and is
still detained in police custody. Krishna Shen, editor of “Janadesh”, a
pro-Maoist weekly, was arrested on 19 April in Kathmandu. At that time, the
district court ordered the police to bring him forward, but they denied
holding him. According to an anonymous source, Shen was taken to Hanuman
police station on 6 August, but was transferred to Bhadragol prison on 8
August. In April 1999, at least fourteen journalists working for pro-Maoist
publications were arrested by the police. All the arrests occurred in the
context of the conflict between the Nepalese authorities and Maoist
guerrillas in the south of the country. The newspapers mentioned are
suspected of having links with the rebels.
