KATHMANDU: The Nepal Film and Cultural Foundation has condemned what it calls the character assassination and criminalization of artists who participated in the recent Gen-Z movement.
In a statement issued on Friday, Foundation Chairperson KP Pathak said the institution is seriously concerned over coordinated online and political campaigns targeting prominent figures from the film industry.
“The participation of artists in social movements reflects a continuation of history and an expression of democratic responsibility, not a crime,” the statement said. “Attempts to defame or criminalize them are a direct assault on democratic values and cultural freedom.”
The Foundation noted that a formal investigation commission has already been formed and described efforts to label artists as guilty before judicial conclusions as “an affront to due legal process.”
Actors including Nischal Basnet and Deepak Raj Giri have faced public accusations of inciting crowds during the protests while government property was being vandalized.
“It is a grave violation of democratic justice to brand any individual a criminal before legal conclusions are reached,” the statement read.
The Foundation has urged authorities to effectively enforce cyber laws to curb misinformation and defamatory content on social media. It also warned against any attempt to harass artists or discourage them from speaking on issues of public concern.
“Speaking up on social matters is not a crime; it is the duty of a conscious citizen. Artists are the nation’s collective voice, and silencing them under any pretext is unacceptable,” the statement added.
The Foundation also criticized the growing trend of labeling only agreeable voices as ‘right’ and dissenting opinions as ‘wrong,’ calling on all film associations to unite in defense of legal integrity and professional solidarity.
“If the state remains faithful to the rule of law, the freedom of art and expression will not be repeatedly strangled, democracy will only grow stronger,” the statement concluded.
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