Reporters Radheshyam Khatiwada and Santa Kumar Chaudhary were obstructed while reporting in Chitwan, Bagmati Province, on August 29.
Khatiwada is associated with Rajdhani daily and Ujjyalo Radio Network and Chaudhary is associated with Seto Nepal online news portal.
Freedom Forum talked to Federation of Nepali Journalists Bagmati Province president Basanta Raj Parajuli about the incident. According to Parajuli, reporters Khatiwada and Chaudhary had gone to report on the police management of flood victims’ bodies in Chitwan.
Police persons initially told the journalists that they were not allowed to take photographs or record videos at the site. While the journalists were filming premises, Nepal Army officials approached them, seized reporter Khatiwada’s camera and deleted all photographs and videos recorded that day, including footages from August 26.
Following the incident, the journalists reported the matter to the District Administration Office and concerned Army officials. The Army officials subsequently apologized for the incident and assured the journalists that they would not obstruct journalists from carrying out their reporting.
Freedom Forum is concerned over the incident. In such a critical situation, unrestricted access to information is essential and media persons should have safe access to information and reporting sites. At the same time, media persons should also exercise sensitivity and adhere to journalistic code of conduct while reporting on sensitive situations.
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