Nepal: Continuing Assaults on Journalists by Political Cadre

January 31, 2013

Continuing Assaults on Journalists by Political Cadre in Nepal

The International Federation of Journalists joins partners in affiliates in Nepal in denouncing an incident in Kavre district in the central region of the country, in which cadres of the Young Communist League (YCL) assaulted and seriously injured a number of journalists who had gathered to cover an event involving three senior leaders of the United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), including Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai.

The YCL is the youth affiliate of the Maoist party, which leads the government in Nepal today.

Reports from the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) indicate that the incident occurred on January 29, and was followed immediately afterwards by a number of threats being made against news photographers who had recorded the attacks.

The FNJ has identified six journalists who suffered injury in the incident, including Bhola Thapa, the federation’s advisor in Kavre district; and Motiram Timilsina, secretary of the district chapter. Krishna Neupane of the local radio station Grace FM is believed to have been seriously hurt and is now under treatment in Kathmandu.

According to the FNJ, the substantial police contingent present at the venue, did nothing to prevent the attack.

“We note that this incident marks the second serious assault on the media in a little over a week, following the forced flight of a number of journalists from the far-western district of Dailekh, following the arrest of a number of Maoist activists over the arrest of a journalist”, said the IFJ Asia-Pacific.

“We urge the local administration in Kavre to identify the miscreants behind the latest incident and proceed under the law against them”.

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries

Find the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific

Find the IFJ on Facebook: www.facebook.com/IFJAsiaPacific

ENDS

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