(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has welcomed a Supreme Court ruling on 18 May 2006 suppressing article 8 of the 1992 National Broadcasting Act and article 15 (1) of the 1991 Publications and Newspapers Act as incompatible with a constitutional provision guaranteeing press freedom. The first article gave the government the right to cancel the licences of radio and TV stations that broadcast...
(FNJ/IFEX) - In a meeting on 9 May 2006, the Council of Ministers annulled three ordinances - including the controversial media ordinance - promulgated by the former royal government. Talking to reporters at the Prime Minister's official residence after the cabinet meeting, Minister for Land Reform and Management Prabhu Narayan Chaudhari said the government has decided to scrap or review all the...
The sixth central committee meeting of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) was conducted today, 1 May 2006, at the central office of the Federation in Media Village. The meeting was conducted under the leadership of President Bishnu Nisthuri. In the meeting, members discussed and made decisions about the situation of press freedom and freedom of expression; the future strategy...
(CEHURDES/IFEX) - CEHURDES has condemned the acts of intimidation and threats against a group of journalists by Maoist cadres in the Nepali capital, Kathmandu. On 28 April 2006, Maoist cadres aggressively questioned, threatened and harassed Kumar Shrestha, a photo-journalist with Himalayan Films Pvt. Ltd., Amit Sthapit of "Yuva Hunkaar" and Bimal Raj Gautam, Shrestha's assistant, as they were...
New York, April 18, 2006 - More than 200 Nepalese journalists have been detained since April 4 while participating in pro-democracy protests to demand press freedom or while covering the nationwide demonstrations, according to information compiled by the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ). The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the immediate release of the 31 journalists who remain...
Kathmandu, April 14, 06 - The Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES) - a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group - condemns fresh arrests of journalists, lawyers, development workers and threats by the government against private media organizations in the country. On Friday, police took into custody 13 journalists in the western hilly district of Baglung as they...
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- Baton-wielding police beat journalists who were protesting against a media clampdown in the Nepalese capital on Saturday, as a general strike called by the opposition to demand the king's ouster shut down this Himalayan nation. About 200 journalists marched through the capital Kathmandu demanding the restoration of press freedom and the release of dozens of journalists...
With anti-monarchy protests in Nepal being increasingly tackled with a heavy hand by the King Gyanendra regime, those covering the protest rallies across the country are also finding themselves at the receiving end. Seven journalists were injured on Saturday alone when they were beaten up by the police. All were covering the protest rallies. The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) has...
International press freedom and free expression groups have expressed concern over the systematic attacks, intimidation, harassment, sexual abuse in custody and arbitrary detention of journalists by security forces in Nepal. FIGHTING FOR PRESS FREEDOM: Executive Director of International Media Support Jesper Hojberg(far left) addressing journalists in Kathmandu March 25, 2006. "The refusal of the...
The Nepal government has freed journalist Bhawana Prasain, who had been detained since February last year and allegedly tortured in police custody for suspected links with Maoists. Prasain was released following a Supreme Court order, reports said. SAYING IT WITH FLOWERS: Nepali girls give the Maoist salute as they hold rhododendrons, the country's national flower, during celebrations for the...
