A group of stock traders and investors manhandled journalist Ms Sudha Devkota associated to merolagani.com, a stock market focused online portal in the capital city, on June 5 over areporting on stock market.
As per the information garnered by Freedom Forum’s Representative in Province No 3, Ashok Dahal, reporter Devkota had reached the Kamalpokhari based Creative Securities, a stock broker office, for news coverage about the protest of investors against the decision of the government to increase tax criteria on share trade in the recent annual budget.
The traders and investors verbally misbehaved with her- asking why she failed to raise their agendas of protest in the news story. “They vented ire against the merolagani.com for not writing in favor of them. Though she defended that the reporting was based on facts, they encircled her and warned of forcing her to quit the job,” said Dahal, quoting reporter Devkota.
Following threat and misbehaviour, the journalist returned to the office without concluding the news reporting. Editor of merolagani.com, Rajendra Khanal, maintained that the media would not publish any news on anyone’s favor owing to such threat or lure.
Freedom Forum condemns the incidents and demands free and fair environment for the journalists for news coverage across the country. It is sheer violation of press freedom. FF urgesthe concerned ones to seek legal remedy in case of objection on the content. But threatening journalists for reporting is against press freedom.
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;