Freedom Forum's stringer for Province 2 Rajan Singh reported that Raj Kamal Singh, reporter with Aarthik Aabhiyan daily received death threat from the government officials of Janakpur Custom Office on February 1 in Janakpur. Janakpur lies in Province 2 of Nepal.
Reporter Singh had written news entitled 'involvement of customs officials in smuggling' exposing officials Hem Chand Sharma and Jagdish Das for their involvement in custom smuggling and tax evasion in Janakpur area.
Quoting reporter Singh, stringer Singh informed that the official Chand and his driver Prakash Yadav (working on contract basis) had called the reporter in their office after reading the news published against them. Immediately after reaching the office, officials threatened the reporter not to write news against them or they will use goons to kill him. They also forcefully took another journalist Sumeet Mishra to other room and threatened him along with reporter Singh.
Freedom Forum strongly condemns the death threat to the journalist. Journalists are free to expose administrative wrongdoings and corruption. One can file complain to the press council and choose the legal way if they have reservation against the news published. The officials involved must respect press freedom and journalist right. FF hereby draws the attention of concerned authority to investigate the incident and take action against the culprit.
For More Information
Freedom Forum
Thapathali, Kathmandu
Post Box No: 24292
Phone No. 4102030, 4102022
Website: www.nepalpressfreedom.org; www.freedomforum.org.np
Email: monitoring@freedomforum.org.np; info@freedomforum.org.np;