News Chief at Fewa Television Prahlad Chandra Ghimire was misbehaved while reporting in Syangja on January 25. Syangja lies in Gandaki Province of Nepal.
Journalist Ghimire shared with Freedom Forum that he had reached the site to report on a drinking water project being implemented in a rural municipality of Syangja. Locals of the municipality obstructed him from reporting and also abused the journalist.
"Local people in the village said that news about their village should not be published anywhere and in whatever way. They did not let me report even after request from the ward's vice chairperson", Ghimire added, "as the case about irregularities in the project has already been registered in the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, I went to report there."
Journalist Ghimire reported about the incident in the local police station. Police have called a meeting among locals and journalist on the case on Sunday (January 29).
Freedom Forum condemns the incident. To report on the social issues and malfunctions is the major job of the journalists, hence obstructing a journalist and abusing one is servious violation of press freedom. The locals should be aware that journalists also play a major role in the welfare of the society.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np