Editor-in-Chief of Naya Bikalpa weekly and www.nayabikalpa.com (an online news portal) Damodar Prasad Dawadi was issued death threat over the news published on May 22 in Kathmandu.
Freedom Forum’s representative for Province 1, Bikram Niraula reported that Ward Chair of Gauradaha Municipality, Jhapa, Nagendra Bhandari and Local Road Users Committee’s Chair Devendra Khadka threatened editor Dawadi for the publication of the news entitled 'Irregularities in Finance Minister’s home district revealed' in the print weekly and online portal on the day.
Talking to FF’s monitoring desk, Editor Dawadi said, “Ward Chair Bhandari and Ex- Member of Parliament Deepak Karki rang me up on cell phone for 20-30 times continuously from 11:00 am till 10:00pm. They repeatedly forced me to reveal sources of the news and name of the reporter.”
“Again, Consumer’s committee Chair Khadka threatened me saying that they had overthrown King Gyanendra, and were very well aware how to deal with journalists like you. We would see you in Kathmandu within this month”, added editor Dawadi.
Freedom Forum strongly condemns the threat issued to journalist by local people representatives for publishing the news. Reporting and exposing irregularities and corruption of public concern is the prime job of journalists. Also, one can file complaint at the Press Council Nepal and choose the legal way if there is any reservation against the content published and disseminated. FF hereby urges the concerned authority to investigate upon the incident and take immediate action to ensure journalists safety.
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;