KATHMANDU: The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has condemned the arrest of Kishor Shrestha, editor-in-chief of Jan Aastha weekly, by police.
In a statement, the FNJ said it condemned Shrestha’s arrest, which was made based on a complaint filed with the Cyber Bureau by ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leader and actor Himesh Pant.
Jan Aastha had published a report concerning allegations that Pant had encroached on 10 ropanis of a neighbor’s land in Dhading.
According to the FNJ, a police team led by SSP Santosh Khadka arrested Shrestha from his residence in Nakhu, Lalitpur, based on a complaint related to the report.
The federation said that if there were disagreements or concerns over the report, they should have been addressed through established legal and professional mechanisms rather than by arresting a journalist through the Cyber Bureau. It said such action was against press freedom and the Constitution.
The FNJ said the incident undermined democratic values and globally recognized principles of a free press. It also expressed serious concern over what it described as an arbitrary exercise of state power that bypassed the jurisdiction of the Press Council Nepal.
The federation urged the government to correct what it called anti-press conduct and immediately release journalist Kishor Shrestha unconditionally.
It also urged all concerned parties to resolve any disagreements over the news through the Press Council Nepal, while calling on the council to assert its jurisdiction and play an effective role.
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