Freedom forum has been alarmed over the threat of Constituent Assembly member to take physical action on the journalists.
CA member Bal Krishna Dhungel warned of action on journalists including Manoj Ghimire affiliated to the Kantipur daily and cameraperson Prabin Gyawali at a programme in the capital city on January 29, 2012.
CA member Dhungel found convicted by the Supreme Court in a murder case warned at the programme attended by the Prime Minister that the journalists making news about him would not be secured.
Although the police said Dhungel was still absconding after the Court verdict, murderer Dhungel was found with high level police official at the program mocking at the rule of law.
The public threat of murderer Dhungel to take action on journalists obviously ridicules the rule of law.
It is the state's responsibility to protect and promote right to information. But the rule of law is ridiculed and journalists are being victims. Even the person found convicted by the court is issuing threats on journalists in Nepal. It also indicates growing impunity.
Such incidents are responsible for panicking journalists thereby forcing them to practice self-censorship which does not promote free press.
Freedom Forum condemns both of the incidents and urges the concerned authorities to mete out punishment to the culprits.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022