Reporter Royal Acharya and photojournalist Chandra Bahadur Ale associated with the www.onlinekhabar.com, an online news portal run from the federal capital, Kathmandu, were misbehaved while reporting on September 18. The incident took place in Kathmandu.
According to the information received at Freedom Forum, reporters duo were interviewing a local near the Federal Parliament Bulding on the occasion of Constitution Day 2020. Meanwhile, a team of Nepal police approached them and not only misbehaved with those but also tried to arrest.
The police persons misbehaved with the reporters even after they showed their press cards. They also chased away and attacked the person being interviewed.
Freedom Forum has serious concern over the incident. Obstructing journalists while reporting and attacking innocent citizen is not only violation of press freedom but also gross violation of freedom of expression. Such intimidation of security persons towards journalists creates fear among fellow journalists. Obstructing citizens to express the view is the violation of their fundamental right to free speech guaranteed by the constitution. Moreover, the citizen was giving views to the media on the eve of Constitution Day.
Hence, FF strongly urges the concerned authority to not repeat such harassment but help ensure safe and free reporting atmosphere for journalists, and the citizens' freedom of expression. Protecting freedom of expression and information is saving democracy.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np