Freedom Forum's attention has been drawn again towards an incident of press freedom violation occurred in the neighbouring country India on 21, 2011.
Sharan Karmacharya and Hem Lata GC, reporters to the ABC television from Banke, a district in the Midwest of the southern plain in Nepal, were scolded and manhandled by Nepali security persons and intimidated by the employees at customs office, India while making news about the misuse of government vehicle by Nepal Army.
Talking to Media Monitoring Desk, Freedom Forum, reporter Karmacharya said, "We were making news about the misuse of government vehicle by a senior officer of Nepal Army. The officer had gone to the neighbouring country, India for shopping. But, a captain Bijay Saha and soldier Ismael Khan escorting the officer manhandled and tried to seize the camera, saying you must not visualize it without asking the officer."
He added that while returning to Nepal too, the employees in the customs office of neighbouring country, India also tried to delete the scene they captured in camera.
The involvement of the security persons in the violation of media freedom is a worrying matter. Moreover, instructing the people in the foreign country to intimidate the journalists is much more concerning.
Therefore, the Freedom Forum urges the concerned security bodies to be serious towards, and respect journalists' right to make news on the issues of public concern. Also the security body is urged to be aware about people's right to information.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022