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21
October 2005
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ),
the global organisation representing more than
500,000 journalists in over 110 countries, supports
a move by the Federation of Nepalese Journalists
(FNJ), the Nepal Bar Association (NBA) and other
activist groups to challenge the new media ordinance
in the Supreme Court.
The
Supreme Court has issued show cause notices to
several ministries and both houses of parliament
regarding the ordinance announced by King Gyanendra
on October 9, 2005.
The
ordinance banned news programs on FM stations,
restricted media licences, forbid any news that
was damaging to the king or any member of his
family, and increased penalties for defamation
ten-fold.
"This
action in the Supreme Court offers hope for all
journalists and media organisations in Nepal that
this unjust ordinance will be withdrawn,"
said IFJ president Christopher Warren.
Advocates
Ravi Raj Bhandary and Kaher Singh Khadka argued
that the ordinance goes against the spirit of
the Constitution of Nepal, 1990, the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, and the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966.
Lawyers
and media activists have urged journalists to
defy the new media laws. Advocate Bhimarjun Acharya
claimed that if an ordinance was unjust, unfair
and unnecessary, then people should ignore it.
He
said that ordinances should be introduced only
if something is immediately necessary, and cannot
be brought in on the basis of desires.
Acharya
also claimed that under the amended media laws,
the government would lose its right to hold its
three media outlets - Radio Nepal, Nepal Television
and Gorkhapatra Corporation.
The
Ministry of Information and Communications has
warned journalists that the government will take
action against anyone who defies the ordinance.
They
have notified all FM broadcasting outlets not
to transmit or broadcast news-based programs,
as ordered by the king.
However,
the ministry did not specify what type of action
they would take against journalists or institutions
who violated the new laws.
The
Supreme Court hearing will continue later this
month on October 30, 2005.
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