Five journalists were misbehaved by some activists of Chhetri Society Nepal - an emerging ethnic group in agitation demanding their caste be scheduled in indigenous list - in Chitwan in course of their strike on May 15.
A group of around 100 Chhetri cadres holding bricks and stones led by Chairperson of Cheetri Society Chitwan, Dhan Bahadur KC, forcefully snatched motorbike key of journalists and held the latter for around one hour. The cadres also did not stop misbehaving with journalists even after producing press card, according to victim journalists.
'We do not know about media and media workers. None is allowed to run any vehicles during strike', said Milan Parajuli, a radio journalist working in local Vijaya FM.
Among the journalists coming across ill-treatment are Dil Bahadur Adhikari of local Loktantra Sandesh Daily, Tika Dutta Timilsina and KP Sharma of Akraman Weekly. The journalists used their vehicles in course of covering news when the Society announced earlier that press vehicles would not be obstructed during the bandh.
Free reporting is the constitutional rights of the journalists and obstruction to their profession has negatively affected people's right to know. It is therefore the violation of right to freedom of expression and free press. Freedom Forum condemns the deliberate misbehavior with journalists by the cadres of ethnic group and urges the local administration to bring the perpetrators to justice.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022