Protestors Vandalized Vehicle of RTI Activists.
Freedom Forum strongly condemns the incident of attack on a team of Right to Information (RTI) activists, including Chairperson of Freedom Forum and Citizens’ Campaign for Right to Information (CCRI) and vandalizing their vehicle on the way to Rautahat district capital Gaur from Birgunj, the Headquarters of Parsa, a central region district in Nijgadh Chowk on July 27, Sunday morning.
An agitating crowd of protestors all of a sudden obstructed and vandalized the jeep (Na. 1 Cha. 6874) in which Chairperson Tara Nath Dahal, including Project Coordinator Krishna Pokharel, RTI senior trainer Nayan Bahadur Khadka, ARTICLE 19 Nepal Representative Santos Sigdel and journalist Chandra Kishor Jha were traveling to Gaur to conduct pre-scheduled training and campaign on right to information this morning.
The unruly mob gathered in the chowk to spark protest of Nepal’s first Vice-president taking oath in Hindi language smashed the glasses of the vehicle and injured journalist Jha even when they produced their identity.
It is quite disgusting, meanest and irresponsible act to launch attack on journalists and RTI activists who are dedicated to intensify its campaign and training which is instrumental to empower people and strengthen democracy by large. The incident has obstructed training and discouraged activist to opt to take up such campaign in other places due to the threats and attacks.
Freedom Forum demands with the government to immediately arrest the criminal group including a Mongoloid Kiran allegedly involved in the incident and provides with necessary compensation for the maintenance of vehicle. The Forum asks the concerned authority to beef up security arrangement to ensure a congenial environment where journalists and other civil society members could freely carry out their works in any nooks and corner of the country.
Krishna Sapkota
Media officer
Freedom Forum
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022