(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 19 July 2004, Royal Nepal Army (RNA) personnel attacked journalist Ram Mani Misra, sub-editor of the weekly “Nawajagriti” and a Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) central councillor in Siraha district, eastern Nepal. According to Misra, he was attacked by RNA personnel while he was crossing the road to go to his press […]
(CEHURDES/IFEX) – On 19 July 2004, Royal Nepal Army (RNA) personnel attacked journalist Ram Mani Misra, sub-editor of the weekly “Nawajagriti” and a Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) central councillor in Siraha district, eastern Nepal. According to Misra, he was attacked by RNA personnel while he was crossing the road to go to his press office. He said RNA personnel in an army vehicle stopped near him, got out and beat him. The reason for the assault remains unknown.
In a separate development, on 21 July, security forces released journalist Dhana Bahadur Magar in Kathmandu. On 18 November 2003, Magar, the FNJ Kathmandu section’s office secretary, was arrested at his office by security forces for allegedly being close to the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist).
In another incident, participants in a 21 July memorial day programme, associated with the Nepal Students’ Union, were angered because they could not see party leaders at the podium and physically abused and manhandled Rajan Kuikel, of Image Metro TV station, and Shiva Lamsal, of Nepal One TV station. The memorial was in honour of a former Nepali Congress Party (NCP) leader. The Nepal Students’ Union is a sister organisation of the NCP. During his speech, NCP President G. P. Koirala apologised and gave assurances regarding the safety of journalists.
CEHURDES condemns the beating and manhandling of the journalists. The organisation also calls on all the parties involved to respect press freedom, freedom of expression and citizens’ civil liberties.
