Freedom Forum has been shocked to learn that some 30 persons stormed the Office of Nepal Republic Media at Sundhara of the capital city Kathmandu today afternoon (22 December 2012). The Nepal Republic Media is the publisher of the Nagarik and Republica dailies, and the Sukrabar weekly.
The hooligans who later claimed them of belonging to the Shiva Sena Nepal stormed the office, abused verbally the receptionist, snapped the telephone wire and broke windows.
Talking to Freedom Forum's Media Monitoring Desk, reporter with the Nagarik daily, Gyan Neupane, said, "The unidentified persons entered the office manhandling gatekeepers, misbehaved with receptionists; attacked Chief Editor of the Nagarik daily Kishor Nepal, and reporters Sudarshan Sapkota, Rupesh Acharya and Rajendra Gyawali and other staffs."
However, they escaped injuries as police came and took them under control, reporter Neupane said, adding that they questioned about the photos published in the Sukrabar weekly.
Freedom Forum vehemently condemns the incident as it was a sheer violation of press freedom. If they had any reservation regarding the content, they could take legal recourse as there is already an independent body, Press Council Nepal, to monitor the media content.
The way they presented themselves before the media can not be entertained for free media and journalists' rights to professional security. It is responsible for growing self-censorship among journalists and security threat as well.
Therefore, the Freedom Forum strongly demands the concerned authority to bring to book the culprits as early as possible.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022