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17
May 2005
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has
serious concerns for the safety of journalists in
Nepal and their ability to fulfill their reporting
responsibilities following the abduction of a journalist
in the eastern district of Ilam and the government's
continuing mobile phone and travel restrictions
against journalists in Nepal.
"Journalists
working in Nepal are doing so in an extremely
hostile and difficult environment," said
IFJ President Christopher Warren.
"Every
week they suffer a new restriction curbing their
ability to report the news in a fair, impartial
and unbiased manner," said Warren.
The
IFJ is concerned over the following in incidents
in Nepal:
Journalist
abducted
On 16 May, insurgents abducted Som Sharma, local
journalist for the weekly Ilam newspaper Aankha
from his rented residence at Mangalbare Bazare
in the eastern part of Ilam.
The
IFJ is deeply concerned over Sharma's abduction
and supports the Federation of Nepalese Journalists
(FNJ) Ilam branch in demanding insurgents to immediately
release Sharma. The reason for the abduction remains
unknown.
Journalists
and politicians stopped from travelling
On 14 May 2005, newly elected FNJ President, Bishnu
Nisthuri and General Secretary, Mahendra Bista
cancelled a trip to Islamabad, Pakistan to attend
a South Asia Parliamentary Forum. Nisthuri and
Bista cancelled their trip in solidarity for security
personnel unconstitutionally barring Nabaraj Subedi,
the General Secretary of People's Front Nepal
and former parliamentarian from travelling as
part of the delegation of senior media personalities
and political leaders to Islamabad.
Subedi
was taken by security personal as soon as he arrived
at the Tribhuvan International Airport when the
remainder of the delegation was informed that
a "higher authority" would not allow
Subedi to travel despite the Constitution of the
Kingdom of Nepal 1990 guaranteeing all citizens
the right to travel at their will.
Journalists
denied mobile phone access
Nepalese journalists have been denied access to
prepaid mobile phone use two weeks after Nepalese
authorities resumed the service.
Yubaraj
Ghimire, editor, Samay Weekly; Taranath Dahal,
former FNJ President; Gunraj Luitel, news editor,
Kantipur Daily; Puskar Lal Shrestha, editor, Nepal
Samacharptra and Ujir Magar, sub-editor, Kantipur
Daily have all been denied access to prepaid mobile
phone service.
Nepal
telecom, running the mobile phone service was
quoted in the Kantipur Daily, that the telecom
operator had not received approval from the government
to resume services for the journalists barred
from using the service.
Journalist
held in jail for 18 months without trial
On Sunday, 15 May, FNJ President, Bishnu Nisthuri
was allowed to visit Bhaikaji Ghimire, managing
director of Sam Dristi Weekly in Nakhu Jail, Kathmandu.
Ghmire
has been kept in custody for 18 months without
an arrest warrant or appearing before a judicial
court reportedly in connection to an article he
published "Nirnayak Yatra" (The deciding
voyage). Ghimire
has reported been tortured and interrogated by
security personal in connection to the article.
The
IFJ is calling for the Nepalese Government to
launch a full investigation into the abduction
of Sharma, release all imprisoned journalists,
and lift the restrictions on mobile phones and
travel for journalists.
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