Personal aides of former King Gyanendra Shah manhandled journalists and smashed press equipments at Chitpol area of Bhaktapur on July 26, Monday.
President of Kavre chapter of Federation of Nepali Journalists, Bhola Thapa and Post Kavre correspondent Manoj Basnet are injured in the incident. Similarly, video cameras of Post correspondent Makar Shrestha and Sagarmatha TV were damaged.
The injured journalists said Shah’s personal aides, security personnel and local goons thrashed them and damaged their cameras as they were approaching Shah for interview. The incident occurred when Shah was returning after attending a final session of a Mahayagya and puja at the newly-built Latarembheswor Temple.
Freedom Forum condemns the incident and asks the government to investigate the incident. As Nepali constitution and other laws provide right to freedom of reporting at public places, blocking the journalists from taking snaps and reporting is illegal action taken by personal aides of former king. The Forum urges the concerned authority to bring the guilty to book at the earliest.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022