Freedom Forum has been concerned over a press freedom violation occurred in the capital city on June 17, 2013.
Nepal Television reporter Subhadra Gautam, cameraperson Shiva Pangeni and driver Lalit Bahadur Khatri were attacked by a group of people while making news about a raid the government officials conducted at a dairy in Bhaktapur, a district in the Kathmandu Valley.
Cameraperson Mr Pangeni said, "As soon as I began visualizing the monitoring and raid conducted in the local Kharipati Dairy, the owner called a group of people from outside and they attacked me, reporter Gautam and driver Khatri for making news."
However, the police presence deterred the worsening of situation, he added.
According to Pangeni the attackers said, "Why are you making news? Who told you to make news?"
The monitoring and raid were conducted by the government officials to check the purity and standard of the milk.
Barring journalists from making news about the public concern (here -substandard dairy products as milk) is against press freedom and citizen's right to information. Such incidents are responsible for increasing self-censorship among journalists.
Freedom Forum condemns the incident, and urges the concerned authority to bring the attackers to book.
For more information,
Freedom Forum
monitoring@freedomforum.org.np
01-4102030/ 4102022