Police action in newsrooms draws widespread condemnation
Summary
Police entered several newsrooms in Nepal and detained journalists while seeking the sources behind reports, prompting widespread condemnation from media groups, political parties and civil society. Critics said complaints about published material should be handled by the Press Council, Nepal, not by police intervention.
Key Points
- Police entered the offices of multiple media outlets and detained journalists while trying to identify the sources of news reports.
- The Federation of Nepali Journalists, the Press Council, Nepal, and the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party condemned the action as a violation of press freedom and due process.
- Journalists said police questioned them about the basis, evidence and sources of their reporting, while officials claimed they were only called in for questioning.
- The Prime Minister’s Office denied involvement and said the prime minister ordered the detained journalists to be released immediately.
