Journalist Amarkant Thakur from Kantipur Television was barred from reporting in Dhanusha on May 18. Dhanusha lies in Madhesh Province of Nepal.
Freedom Forum’s provincial representative, Rajan Singh, reported that journalist Amarkant Thakur was covering a story on local residents who were seeking information about various development and construction projects in the Mukhiya Patati Musaharnia Rural Municipality office. According to the locals, there were irregularities in the operation of such projects in the municipality. The security persons seized journalist Thakur's mobile phone and took him out of the premises. Though they returned his mobile phone back, journalist Thakur left the venue without reporting.
Representative Singh further shared that Chairperson Jay Kumar Yadav ordered security persons to send the journalist out from the municipal premises, citing his absence from the office. However, journalist Thakur stated that he was mistreated because journalists were not allowed to enter the office premises without Chairperson Yadav’s prior approval.
Freedom Forum condemns the incident as it is a clear violation of press freedom. Regardless of the chairperson’s presence, journalists have the right to report on issues of public concern. FF strongly urges the local authority to respect journalists’ right to free reporting and cooperate with them in future.
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