IFJ Condemns Detention of 25 Journalists in Nepal

<font face="Courier New" size="2">The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the detention of 25 journalists in <country-region w:st="on"> <place w:st="on">Nepal</place> </country-region> on Thursday.

 

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<font face="Courier New" size="2">The journalists were participating in a peaceful protest organised by the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) in <place w:st="on">Kathmandu</place> to demand the Government take action on the murder of journalist Birendra K. Shah and also track the whereabouts of journalist Prakash Singh Thakuri, who was last seen in Mahendranagar on July 5.

 

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<font face="Courier New" size="2">Police detained the protesters for obstructing the entrance gate to the office of the Nepal Government’s Secretariat. The journalists were held at the Mahendra Police Club for two hours.

 

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<font face="Courier New" size="2">The FNJ said those detained were Yuvraj Bidrohi (FNJ Kathmandu chapter president), Ujir Magar (FNJ Lalitpur chapter president), Ishworiraj Dhakal, Govinda Pokharel, Dhana Bahadur Magar, Bhuwan KC, Biswomani Subedi, Kiran Dhakal, Megham Hamal, Bhabindra Karki, Prakash Timsina, Govinda Prasad Chaulagain, Amrit Baniya, Bir Man Sherpa, Manoj Timsina, Kalpana Sharma, Dinesh Khanal, Suresh Raut, Mukunda Poudel, Sanjeev Bagale, Mohan Rai, Sagar Rana Magar, J.B Ghale Magar, Baikuntha Bhandari and Ishwor Raj Magar.

 

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<font face="Courier New" size="2">The FNJ, supported by the IFJ, criticised the police interference in what had been peaceful protest.

 

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<font face="Courier New" size="2">Safety and the security of media personnel is a continuing concern for journalists in <country-region w:st="on"> <place w:st="on">Nepal</place> </country-region>.

 

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<font face="Courier New" size="2">On November 13, R.K. Patel, a correspondent of Radio Birgunj and the Prateek daily, was reportedly threatened by a police officer at the Amarpatti Police Post, Birgunj, in central Nepal. Patel had also allegedly received threatening calls from unknown phone numbers.

 

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<font face="Courier New" size="2">Narayan Shah, president of the FNJ Rukum chapter, reported receiving a death threat from a Maoist district leader in Musikot on November 5.

 

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<font face="Courier New" size="2">The IFJ and the FNJ call on authorities in <country-region w:st="on"> <place w:st="on">Nepal</place> </country-region> to guarantee freedom of expression as a democratic right and ensure that journalists are not subject to intimidation in the course of their work.

 

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<font face="Courier New" size="2">For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0919

 

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<font face="Courier New" size="2">The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries

 

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