Freedom Forum's attention has been drawn towards an anti-press incident occurred at Thamel in the Capital on May 29, 2011.
Deputy Superintendent of Police at Crime Investigation Division in the Capital, Hridaya Thapa roughed up journalists, seized their camera and tried to delete the clips while they were making reports about the abduction of an American national from a hotel at Thamel.
DSP Thapa misbehaved with reporter of the Himalayan Television, Madhusudan Rayamajhi; cameraperson Sushil Baskota and reporter of the Avenues Television Bijay Regmi, according to reporter Regmi. He added that DSP Thapa barred the journalists entering the place of abduction and said-'Why do journalists need news before police investigation?
Freedom Forum condemns the incident as the responsible body of the State to ensure free press was itself involved in the activities against free press. Therefore, the Freedom Forum demands the State to urge the responsible bodies not to repeat such behaviour.
The organization also condemns the incident that photo journalists were barred entering the meeting among top leaders of main political parties in the Prime Ministerial residence, Baluwatar on May 27, 2011.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022