‘An attack on the constitution’: Police detention of journalists draws widespread condemnation
Summary
Police raids on newsroom offices and the detention of journalists have triggered widespread condemnation from press freedom groups and political leaders, who say the move violates constitutional protections and legal safeguards. Authorities say the journalists were questioned over reports involving senior government and judicial officials, while media advocates demand their immediate release.
Key Points
- Plainclothes police entered the offices of several media outlets and detained or sought to detain journalists over reports involving senior officials.
- Press Council Nepal, Freedom Forum and Reporters Without Borders condemned the action as unlawful and a threat to press freedom.
- Political leaders from the Nepali Communist Party, CPN-UML and Nepali Congress also criticized the police intervention.
- The prime minister’s secretariat denied any involvement and said the detained journalists should be released immediately.
