Ramesh Rawal, editor of the Jana Swayamsevak, monthly was arrested by police persons near Singha Durbar, the central administrative hub of Nepal, on 14 November, 2013.
The police in plainclothes arrested Rawal while he was on reporting and released after some hours.
In a separate incident occurred in the capital city, Kathmandu, distribution of newspapers was obstructed by the poll-opposing Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist on 11 November 2013.
In the banda (general shutdown) called by a 33-party front led by the CPN-Maoist, a vehicle carrying the Nagarik and Republica dailies was vandalized by the banda enforcers at Gwarko of Lalitpur district and obstructed the distribution .
Freedom Forum condemns both arrest and obstruction, as these have violated journalists' right to reporting in free atmosphere and citizen's right to get information.
The security persons in the name of boosting security in the run up to the Constituent Assembly election can not violate journalists' right to provide information to the people. They need to respect people's right to information too. Similarly, the poll-opposing CPN-Maoist must abide by citizen's right to information and ensure free flow of information.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022
