Chief District Officer abused a journalist on April 18 in Banke. Banke lies in Lumbini Province of Nepal.
According to information provided by Freedom Forum's representative for the province Sudeep Gautam, a journalist at missiontodaynews.com Shubhakar Bishwakarma had called Chief District Officer at Banke Chief Administration Office Dharmaraj Joshi to enquire about a person Mohan Godiya, who was deprived of citizenship for four years despite court's notice to grant him citizenship. During telephonic conversation with the journalist, CDO Joshi told that everyone should follow the process as per the law and anyone who called for someone else's citizenship was a ‘broker’.
Journalist Bishwakarma again called CDO Joshi to make him aware that he was talking for news purpose. CDO Joshi again answered that anyone who calls for someone's citizenship is considered a 'broker'. Following this, Superintendent of Police at District Police Office Banke Tul Bahadur Karki also called the journalist and asked whether he had called CDO Joshi to enquire about citizenship.
Journalist Bishwarkarma published an article about the plight of local Mohan Godiya and his struggle for citizenship on April 20 on the news portal.
Freedom Forum condemns the misbehaviour meted out to journalist while reporting. The administrative office is a responsible authority for safety and security of citizens. Such irresponsible behaviour of the authority towards citizen and a journalist is deplorable. The incident is sheer violation of press freedom and right to information.
FF strongly urges the authority to correct its behaviour.
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