Businessperson Birendra Shah manhandled Doti-based correspondent of Gorkhapatra National Daily Siddharaj Upadhyay in Doti district headquarters, Dipayal on October 28, taking up the issue of media coverage of gambling.
Businessperson Shah threatened journalist Upadhyay of life if he wrote anything against him just before District Traffic Police Office of Dipayal. It was a surprising fact that the police personnel who were witnessing the incident remained mute spectator while journalist Upadhyay was thrashed and warned of life.
Shah also used offensive words and thrashed him saying, “How you dared to write news against us and who are you to expose weaknesses of the area”.
Local journalists demanded actions against the perpetrators and warned of launching agitation if the administration did not heed their demand at the earliest.
Freedom Forum condemns the incident of thrashing and misbehaving journalist for covering news about wrongdoings. It is the prime responsibility of the journalist to expose the things and let people know about the incidents, and none can prevent journalists of using their rights to freedom of expression, said the Freedom Forum. The Forum asked the government to be proactive to book the perpetrators, and take actions against such elements.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022