KATHMANDU: The Federation of Nepalis Journalists (FNJ) has mentioned that although the cases of violation of press freedom came down in 2019, the situation for free press and journalists was not satisfactory in the country from the viewpoint of press freedom practice.
The report prepared by the Media Monitoring Unit of the FNJ recorded 50 cases of violation of freedom of press in 2019 against 58 in the previous year. “Journalists have been victimized by State and from individuals. There is no environment favorable for the journalists to practice freedom of press- fear and meddling is continuous,” stated the report.
Furthermore, it said, “The tendency to arrest the journalists and lodging cases against them have risen merely on the basis of the journalists’ contact with the source.
These instances speak volume for how much the government is generous on the part of freedom of press.” FNJ’s Secretary-General Ramesh Bista shared that journalist Manohar Dhakal of Makawanpur was murdered in 2019.
Similarly, according to the report, 11 media persons were attacked physically while 17 of the journalists and one media house faced action during 2019. Bista shared that as many as 10 cases of threats on journalists were reported and 7 journalists- 3 of them were part-timer- were arrested and lodged cases during this course.
Furthermore, one journalist was forced to quit journalism, one faced job threat. According to FNJ, many press related laws formulated by the provincial governments curtailed press freedom. Urging the three-tier government for devising media-friendly laws, the FNJ has condemned cases of violence of all kinds against the freedom of press.
Moreover, the Federation has demanded that the perpetrators of such cases be brought to justice. It has also pressed for enabling favorable environment for the journalists to work freely and without fear.
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