A death threat issued against journalist, Umesh Mehta with the Popular FM on April 2, 2012 has drawn Freedom Forum's attention. The FM is at Itahari, an eastern city of Nepal.
Journalist Mehta was threatened of life over the news he reported about an undue measure as of hosting feast to voters by a local Shyam Lal Mehta to become the chairman of the management committee of a local Janata Higher Secondary School.
Talking to Freedom Forum's Media Monitoring Desk, journalist Umesh Mehta said, "Shyam Lal said to me over phone- I'll attack and kill you and damage the FM station. Why did you make news about me?"
He added that Shyam Lal is also a village level leader of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Loktantrik) party.
The police administration has been informed by the journalist about the threat.
Freedom Forum condemns the incident and urges the police administration to provide security to the journalist and mete out action on the culprit. Also, the concerned party needs to be aware about the journalists' rights and people's right to information.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022