The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Federation of Nepali
Journalists (FNJ) in expressing its concern over reports that copies of the Nagarik Daily Newspaper were reportedly burned by activists in Koteshwar, Kathmandu (Central Region of Nepal) on April 20, 2012.
The group of activists,
reported to be affiliated with the student wing of the Communist Party of Nepal
(UML), allegedly vandalized a promotional booth for the Nagarik Daily and burnt copies of the paper that were at the booth.
The student activists were reportedly protesting news that had
been published in the Nagarik Daily on April 19, which implicated members of the Youth Association of Nepal
affiliated to CPN UM in assaults on activists of the Nepal Student Union
affiliated to the Nepali Congress (UML).
“The
IFJ condemns attempts to intimidate the media through
the vandalisation or destruction of property,” IFJ
Asia-Pacific said.
“If left unpunished, crimes of this nature undermine press freedom
and media rights.”
“We call on the government of Nepal to investigate these attacks,
and to take action against those found guilty of these crimes.”
This
incident follows reports that Dinesh
Gautum, a correspondent for the Nagarik Daily newspaper in Nepal’s Banke District, was allegedly threatened
by Raju Nepali, Nepal Army Colonel based in
Imamnagar Barreck, in response to stories he had written for the paper on April
17.
For further
information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific
on +612 9333 0950
The IFJ
represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries
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