Police action in newsrooms revives memories of Gyanendra-era media crackdown
Summary
Police detained journalists and entered newsrooms in Nepal while trying to trace news sources, triggering accusations of a press-freedom crackdown and comparisons with the Gyanendra era. Political parties, journalists’ groups and the Press Council, Nepal condemned the move and said complaints over reporting should go through established media-regulation channels.
Key Points
- Police entered several newsroom offices and detained journalists as part of an effort to identify the sources behind news reports.
- The Federation of Nepali Journalists, the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party and other groups condemned the move as a violation of press freedom and constitutional rights.
- The Prime Minister’s Office said the prime minister and his secretariat had no prior involvement and ordered the detained journalists released immediately.
- The Press Council, Nepal said police bypassed its jurisdiction and that complaints about published material should be handled through the council, not through police intervention.
