Nepali Journalists Attacked and Threatened

Media Release: Nepal
April 16, 2012

Nepali Journalists Attacked and Threatened

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) in condemning the series of attacks and threats that have been made against journalists in Nepal during the month of April.

Reports received by the IFJ state that Subash Chandra Sah, Bara District Correspondent for Rajdhani Daily and Radio Nepal and the publisher of Namaste Times Daily, was attacked by an unidentified group at 6.30 pm, in Kalaiya, Bara District, in the central region of Nepal, on April 13, 2012.

Sah reportedly sustained injuries to his body, and is receiving treatment in hospital.

In another incident, Rajendra Adhikari, editor and publisher of Don News Daily and photo journalist Bandhuram Parajuli, also of the Don News Daily, were both allegedly threatened by Gundaraj Shrestha 'Min', an activist of the UCPN, a Maoist affiliated labour union, in response to stories published in Nepal’s western region on April 13, 2012.

Shrestha allegedly telephoned the newspaper office and threatened to kill the two journalists if they did not stop publishing stories about a transport syndicate in the area.

These incidents follow the attack on journalist Krishna Neupane, on April 9, and the violent murder of correspondent Yadav Poudel, in Nepal on April 1, 2012.

“The IFJ is concerned by the escalating pattern of attacks and threats of violence against journalists in Nepal in 2012,” the IFJ Asia-Pacific Office said.
“The IFJ Asia Pacific supports calls to see that timely and efficient investigations are undertaken into the attacks and threats, and demands that those responsible be brought to justice.”

This month’s incidents provide further weight to the recommendations made by the International Mission that travelled to Nepal in February 2012. The Mission made specific calls to action in two key areas, namely legal and policy reform surrounding attacks on journalists and the culture of impunity.

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries

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ENDS

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