Reporter with baahrakhari.com, a news portal, Keshab Raj Joshi, was manhandled while reporting today (April 30) in Kathmandu. Kathmandu is the federal capital of Nepal.
FF's representative Ashok Dahal reported that a traffic police officer snatched the camera and press card of Joshi while shooting video during the lockdown at New Baneshwor, Kathmandu.
According to him, reporter Joshi had stopped at the junction to capture the vehicular movement during the lockdown while heading to his office at Thapathali.
"Traffic police on the duty first asked me not to shoot video. Then I showed him my identity card but he snatched the card asking why I took the video without permission," said Joshi.
After seizing his camera and identity card for about 20 minutes, traffic officer Sambhu Shrestha handed back the stuffs following complaint to the senior traffic police officials.
"I have complained to the Kathmandu chief of Traffic Police Bhim Dhakal about the manhandling. He has assured to take action against the police involved in the incident and ordered him to return my stuffs," informed Joshi.
Freedom Forum is concerned over the incident. Security officer's behavior towards the journalist even after revealing his identity is against journalists' right to free reporting. Hence, FF urges the concerned authority to respect the rights of free press and ensure fair atmosphere for working journalists. Journalists are free to take the picture of any public place, persons without permission.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np