Journalists condemn police intervention in their peaceful protest

Police interfered and arrested fourteen journalists from a peaceful protest sit-in program organized by Federation of Nepali Journalists, FNJ,from Southern Gate of Singhadurbar, Nepal Government's Secretariat,
Kathmandu on 4 November, at 1:30 PM .

The protest program was organized to pressurize the government to make the whereabouts and condition of the abducted journalist Birendra Shah. Police also used force on the protesting journalists. Deepak Rijal, reporter of Samacharpatra daily sustained injuries on his head while journalist. Kedar Koirala sustained injury on his hand during the police manhandling. The arrested journalists are: FNJ vice president Gangadhar Parajuli, FNJ Treasurer Hemanta Kafle, Yuvraj Bidrohi, president of FNJ Kathmandu chapter, journalists Kedar Koirala, Navaraj Chalise, Dinesh Acharya, Ram Kumar Chettri, Ram Chandra Silwal, Gagan Bista, Yadhav Joshi, Deepak Pandey, Rimesh Shrestha, Santosh Neupane and Laxman Karki. The arrested journalists are detained at Mahendra Police Club, Brikutimandap,Kathmandu Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist leader Prachanda had committed to make public the whereabouts of the abducted journalist Shah within three days during their separate meetings with FNJ delegates on 30 and 31 October respectively. His condition is yet unknown.

Journalists in and outside the country has condemned the incident and has severely criticized police interference on the peaceful protest program. Every citizen has the right to assemble peacefully, according to Interim Constitution of Nepal.

The Federation has urged the government to release the arrested journalists immediately and to respect press freedom, freedom of expression and guarantee constitutional rights.