Nepal: Media Under Siege

(FNJ/IFEX) - Police interfered and arrested 25 journalists at a demonstration organized by the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Kathmandu chapter from the Southern Gate of Singhadurbar, Nepal Government's Secretariat, on 15 November 2007, at 9:30 a.m. (local time). The demonstration was organized to protest against continuous attacks on and intimidation of journalists, demanding action be...

(FNJ/IFEX) - The body of murdered journalist Birendra Kumar Shah was found at around 2:00 p.m. (local time) on 8 November 2007 in Dumarwana village, near Tangiya colony in Bara district, about 160 kilometres south of Kathmandu. Binod Pyakurel, president of FNJ's Bara district chapter, said the police administration informed him that the body was found buried at a place called Bhaimathghat in the...

(FNJ/IFEX) - Maoists threatened and attacked three journalists in Rukum in response to news published recently in the local weekly "Jantidhara". Narayan Shah, president of the Federation of Nepali Journalists' (FNJ) Rukum chapter, received a death threat from Raj Kumar Sirpahi "Subodh", a cadre of the Maoist-aligned Young Communist League (YCL), on 30 September 2007 and from Maoist District...

(FNJ/IFEX) - Bhasa Sharma, treasurer of FNJ's Baglung district chapter, was attacked by a group of youths led by Khim Bahadur Purja, of Sukhaura village, Baglung district, in central Nepal, on 23 October 2007. The group broke into Sharma's house at night and beat her. They also attacked her with a "khukuris" - a sharp weapon. Her mother, Harimaya Sharma, and brother, Pawan, sustained injuries in...

The kidnapping of a Nepali journalist has highlighted the dangers for reporters covering the fragile peace process of the Himalayan state. The former rebel Maoists have been blamed for the abduction and other attacks against the press, but Nepal's media have also been threatened by militant groups in the country's south. Liam Cochrane reports from Kathmandu. There has been no word from the radio...

(CPJ/IFEX) - NEW YORK, October 12, 2007 - The Committee to Protect Journalists is increasingly concerned about the fate of missing journalist Birendra Shah as political pressure mounts in Nepal to find him. CPJ called for the release of Shah, who reports for Nepal FM, Dristi Weekly, and Avenues TV, on Wednesday. He was abducted by local Maoist cadres in Bara district in central Nepal, according to...

Reporters Without Borders today condemned escalating kidnappings of journalists after three were snatched in less than a week, two of whom were later freed. The organisation has joined the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) to urge the government to launch an all-out search for Birendra Sah, who was abducted in Bara district. Sah, 34, correspondent for Nepal FM, Dristri Weekly and Avenues TV...

(FNJ/IFEX) - A Maoist-affiliated trade union prevented the printing of "Kantipur Daily" and "The Kathmandu Post" on 30 September 2007. Members of the All Nepal Communication, Printing and Publication Worker's Union entered the printing press of the publications located at Jadibuti, Kathmandu, during the day on 30 September 2007 and secretly damaged two machines used for printing. According to...

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders is shocked by the violent death of Shankar Panthi, a correspondent of the local pro-Maoist "Naya Satta Daily" newspaper, in Sunawal, in the western district of Nawalparasi. His body, which bore the signs of injuries to several parts of his body, was found by police at a roadside near a petrol station on 14 September 2007. "The behaviour of the police in this...

(FNJ/IFEX) - On 16 September 2007 Sanker Panthi, a correspondent for the Butwal-based daily newspaper "Naya Satta", was found dead with injuries over his head and body on the Mahendra Highway, in Sunwal, Nawalparasi district. According to Keshav Parajuli, the president of FNJ's Nawalparasi chapter, Panthi met his fate while on his way to collect news about the destruction by locals of a Young...