Youth Activists Threaten Journalists in Nepal

 

 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is horrified that young political activists in Nepal have again issued violent threats against media personnel for the content of their reporting.

 

According to the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), an IFJ affiliate, Young Communist League (YCL) cadre threatened to “cut into pieces” four journalists who went to report on a confrontation between the activists and local people in Lamgunj, central Nepal, on June 8.

 

The FNJ said the journalists were Avenus Television correspondent Milan Sharma Danai, Sagarmatha Television and Ujyalo Network reporter Asha Gurung Prateek, Lamjung Mirror editor Anajan Kumar Himali, and INSEC (Human Rights) Lamgunj representative Krisha Prasad Adhikari.

 

Danai, Prateek and Adhikari are also regional office-holders of the FNJ.

 

“Threats by political activists or other members of the public against journalists demonstrate a failure to understand the role of the media and the responsibility of journalists in promoting good governance and transparency,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.

 

The IFJ joins the FNJ in condemning the actions of the YCL cadre in threatening journalists and urges all political groups in Nepal to ensure their supporters are made aware that attacks and threats against the media are unlawful.

 

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919

 

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries worldwide