Charles Sobhraj’s defence lawyer Laxmi Devkota threatened The Himalayan Times(THT) journalist Ananta Raj Luitel on Supreme Court premises in the capital over reporting on August 18, Monday. “You have long been writing articles against Sobhraj,”Devkota, wife of Maoist Constituent Assembly member Khim Lal Devkota, said, adding, “The party will investigate and take actions against you”, according to today’s edition of THT, a national daily.
‘’You will face action if you do not stop writing news about Sobhraj, my association with the party and family’’, the daily added.
She questioned Luitel’s motive behind writing about Sobhraj case hearings.
‘’What is your interest in all this?’’, she asked Luitel, who, as a student of law, specializes in the legal beat .
‘You will face action if the Maoist party seeks explanation from Khim Laljee in this case,’ she told Luitel before returning to the bench to plead for Sobhraj’s acquittal.
Terming this incident a naked interference on journalist’s right to expose right information among public, Freedom Forum asks the government to immediately investigate into the case and take actions against the predator of press freedom and freedom of expression. This type of violations would no more be compatible to the democratic society where pres plays crucial role to impart information and vigil every misdeed. Therefore, the Forum asks the Maoist party to mend its way and abide by journalists’ right to freedom of expression and people’s right to get information.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022