Journalist Shiva Lamsal was issued threat of physical attack over broadcasting news about a patient who died in course of treatment at Blue Cross Hospital in Kathmandu on November 10. Kathmandu is the federal capital of Nepal.
The patient's relatives were dissatisfied with the hospital process of treatment and protesting in the hospital, which journalists Lamsal reported.
Lamsal is the News Chief of YoHo Television.
As per information received by Freedom Forum, News Chief Lamsal was threatened by the hospital's administrative representative Rajat Shrestha for broadcasting the news about the protest of the relatives of the patient who was allegedly died of careless treatment. Shrestha warned journalist Lamsal not to write such news as it had tarnished the image of the hospital.
Following the incident, Television developed a story including byte of the patient's relatives and hospital administration representative Shrestha.
FF condemns the incident as it is a sheer violation of press freedom. Journalists must not be threatened merely for writing news. Journalists have the right to decide whether or not the issue is newsworthy and journalists can write news of public concern which is also guaranteed by the constitution of Nepal. Hence, FF urges the concerned authority to respect journalists' right to free reporting.
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Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
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