Freedom Forum Nepal is concerned over the anti-press incidents occurred in different parts of the country within a past couple of days.
Deputy Superintendant of Police (DSP) at the District Police Office, Bhojpur, Nar Bahadur KC, made verbal abuses against correspondent Samacharpatra National Daily, Gyanendra Khadka and local journalist Buddha Prasad Tamang over the news published in the newspaper.
DSP KC issued threat to journalists claiming the latter are working in support of the armed outfit active in the region, taking up an issue of covering news about the bomb explosion in front of Land Revenue Office some days ago.
The police official threatened us for giving space to the news of the outfit taking responsibility of the bomb detonation, victim journalists said.
Journalist Khadka further said DSP KC was outraged for covering the news stating district-based political parties have accused the police administration of protecting unruly group of youths in its contracts.
Khadka is also the Vice-chairperson of Federation of Nepali Journalists), Bhojpur Chapter and Tamang is working as a reporter for local Silichung Weekly.
Condemning the incidents carried out in a bid to gag press and curtail people's right to get information, Freedom Forum urged the local administration to investigate into the incidents and take proper action to create congenial environment for journalists to work in an uninterrupted manner. The Forum also called for the sides concerned to resort to legal recourse if the media content is deemed unsatisfactory.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022