Kathmandu-The police personnel manhandled six journalists-mostly Television journalists- at Durbar Marg police station in the Capital 22 for seeking footage of a certain person taken under police custody on Tuesday, July.
Reporters and camerapersons from three Television channels of Kathmandu underwent a severe beat-up by policemen while journalists were trying to take footage of an individual allegedly taken into custody for manhandling his elder brother's wife, according to the information received by Freedom Forum.
Among the journalists were reporter Rishiraj Budhathoki and cameraperson Shikhar Chimoriya of Sagarmatha Television, reporter Janak Gautam and cameraperson Bhagawati Thapa of the AvenuesTelevision, and reporter Ujwal Prashant and cameraperson Pramod Malla of the Kantipur Television.
Chief of the police station reportedly regretted the incident that took place when he was "out of office". However, the Kantipur daily newspaper said he confessed to thrashing of the journalists, saying that they were caught when police tried to save the accused from the anger of a crowd.
Freedom Forum strongly condemns the police attack on journalists on the spot while discharging duty and terms the incident the straight violation of journalists’ right to seek and information. The incident is vehemently regrettable and objectionable as the police personnel who take up the responsibility of all civilians indiscriminately thrashed journalists during their duty.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022