04 July 2012

IFJ Concerned by Intimidation of Newspaper in Nepal

The International

Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) in expressing

concern over reports of threats and attacks directed towards the media in Nepal

in the last week.

Reports indicate that on July 2, 2012, death

threats were issued to two journalists from the Nigarani Daily and that the following day the paper’s press was

vandalised.

According

to reports, the Nigarani Daily ‘s Editor Milan K. Raut and correspondent Tejan Khadka were threatened by

activists from UCPN,

a Maoist affiliated labour union, because of a story they published in Urlabari, Morang, in Nepal’s

Eastern region. The story was reportedly related to the altercation that took

place between the groups of Maoist member Susan Limbu and Nepali Congress Nine

Number president Khadag Fago, around June 18, 2012, which led to the deaths of two

Maoist activists.

The following day, on July 3, a

UCPN supporter vandalised the paper’s printing press, claiming that he had done

so on orders

from “someone outside”. The operating and vacuum systems were both disabled. The

same supporter was reportedly an employee at the printing press and is

currently in police custody.

The media in Nepal have

been subject to various press

freedom violations in recent months, and tactics of violence and intimidation

have been used against journalists as political tensions in the country have

risen.

In May, the IFJ condemned

a wave of violence against media practitioners in Nepal, as political

turmoil intensified, on the eve of the scheduled promulgation of a new

republican constitution, which ultimately failed.

the wake of the ongoing threats to journalists and press freedom in Nepal, the

IFJ calls on the authorities of Nepal to ensure that all journalists are

protected and that all threats made against them are investigated and those

responsible brought to justice.

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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the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific

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