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Over Three Dozen Journalists were Attacked by the State in a Year 99/2000

In Nepal since may 1999 to 1st of May 2000 a journalist killed, 3 journalists disappeared, a film banned to publicise and some news papers banned to distribute and seized several news papers without declare. 9 journalists were arrested and several others were maltreated and threatened by the state, police, court and ultra citizens or groups. According to the reports published on the occasion of international press freedom day by the humanrights and democratic studies centre, in a programme organised by the Nepalese Journalists Federation, 23 journalists are attacked, maltreated and some newspapers are sencered.

According to the report, on February 7, 99 Shambhu Prasad Parel was shot dead by unknown attackers.he was vice-chairman of Nepal Press Union, Rautahat branch. Police arrested Milan Nepali, a former Managing editor and reporter of janadesh weekly, Chitra Bahadur Chaudhary reporter of Janadesh, Amar Budha, reporter of Yojana weekly and disappearing them up to now.

Likewse, the police arrested Bhim Prakash Sharma, editor/pulicator and Om Sharma, executive editor of weekly Jana Ahwan and released after 3 weeks in May 99. The independent photo journalist Arun Dutta Pant and chief editor of Yojana weekly Dr. Rishiraj Baral arrested and imprisoned illegally. They were released later by the order of supreme court and protest by the Nepalese Journalists Federation. Debkumar Yadav, reporter of Janadesh weekly and national council member of NJF, Siraha and Nagendra Kumar Paswan, a reporter of Mahima weekly and vice-chairman of NJF, Siraha Branch have arrested on 13th of February 2000 from their own residence without any cause and charge.

There are several journalists, editors and reporters are threatened, pressurised and maltreated by the police and the state, the political leaders and their goons. There are some journalists who are hiding because of open warning by the police.

(Note: here we are giving the constitutional rights about press and publication)

Article 13 Press and Publication Right

(1) No news item, article or any other reading material shall be censored. Provided

that nothing shall prevent the making of laws to impose reasonable restrictions on

any act which may undermine the sovereignty and integrity of the Kingdom of Nepal,

or which may jeopardize the harmonious relations subsisting among the peoples of

various castes, tribes or communities; or on any act of sedition, defamation,

contempt of court or incitement to an offence; or on any act against which may be

contrary to decent public behaviour or morality.

(2) No press shall be closed or seized for printing any news item, article or other

reading material.

(3) The registration of a newspaper or periodical shall not be canceled merely for

publishing any news item, article or other reading material.

Pathak