MARCH 12, 2009 All Nepal National independent Students Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R), a student union associated to ruling party Unified CPN (Maoist) threatened journalists and media houses of Bhimnagar of Kanchanpur in the far-western region on Thursday March 5 for allegedly disseminating fake news and favouring CPN-UML.
In response to the threats and harassment to media and media workers, editors and publishers of newspapers being published from Bhimnagar decided to stop publishing of all newspapers there till journalists and media house were assured of their physical and professional safety and institutional security. Altogether eight daily newspapers have been published from Bhimnagar.
"We will not go back from our stance regarding the protection of press freedom and continue our protest against the growing culture of assaulting journalism", said Hari Prasad Joshi, a freelance journalist of Kanchanpur district.
More than 100 students close to ANNISU (R), who were being equipped with baton on their hands, staged demonstration and chanted slogans against radio and daily newspapers, particularly Mahakali FM and Abhiyan Daily in Bazaar area at around 4 PM, Thursday, according to Rajdhani Daily. They threatened journalists and media house during the moment.
Freedom Forum expresses solidarity to the move of publishers and editors of Bhimnagar to halt publishing newspapers demanding security and condemns ANNISU (R)'s intimidation to journalists and media house. It is very unpleasant to hear such threats against journalists by the student union associated to ruling party despite frequent commitment from mother party for press freedom.
The Forum asks the government and political parties to show respect to journalists' right to exercise their freedom and people's right to know.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022