Editor of Nepalkarma.com, Sushil Khadka, was harassed over his reporting in Surkhet, Karnali Province.
According to Khadka, he had covered a news story about alleged violence against women committed in the name of superstition by a person named Sameer Thapa. A report regarding Thapa’s arrest was published on the portal on July 29. Khadka told Freedom Forum that he had reported the story based on video footage circulated on social media platforms.
However, later the same victims and Thapa’s family allegedly threatened Khadka. They accused him of publishing false information and held him responsible for Thapa’s arrest.
Journalist Khadka further stated in a social media post shared on August 1 that his family had also been threatened in connection with the case. A few local media outlets also published reports based on the women’s complaints against Khadka.
Following this, Khadka lodged a complaint against those media outlets at Press Council Nepal on July 31, accusing them of publishing biased reports based solely on the victims’ allegations and defaming him.
Freedom Forum is concerned over the incident. In this case, a journalist has faced harassment from fellow journalists over his reporting. The regulatory body is urged to address the matter fairly, ensuring press freedom and safety of journalist.
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