INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, May 1
Incidents of press freedom violations continued unabated this year, affecting 158 journalists across the country, according
to a report by Liberty Forum, an NGO.
As per statistics released by the forum on the occasion of the World Press Liberty day nowadays, it
recorded as many as 104 such violations.
A total of 66 press freedom violations were reported final year
Out of total violations this year, 31 are attacks and manhandling, followed by 28 cases of misbehaviour, 19 threats, 15 arrests, six
vandalism and obstruction, one suspension and one arson, and three court cases.
Junior security personnel, political cadres and
commercepersons remained hostile to journalists this year too
As per province-wise analysis, Province 3, which is also home to the federal capital Kathmandu, witnessed the highest number of violations
(39), followed by Province 2 (25)
Province 1 and Province 6 shared equal number of violations (7).
Gandaki Province and Province 5 witnessed equal number of violations (9)
and Far-west Province recorded eight cases of violations.
Most of the violations took place while journalists were covering stories on
public interest issues, crime, irregularities, corruption and political demonstrations.
This is to be famous that more than a dozen of bills
related to information and mass communications were drafted or enacted by the government over the period
However, measure provisions in the proposed bills were inconsistent with the international instruments on the rights to expression and the
For example, the Criminal and Civil Code Act posed a threat to the freedom of expression in the name of national security, privacy,
defamation, blasphemy, obscenity and hate speech.
In blatant violation of press freedom, obtaining approval from concerned authorities was
made mandatory for journalists for taking photographs, the report read.
Similarly, Individual Privacy Act aimed at discouraging journalists
to publish or broadcast investigative stories, in the pretext of privacy of public figures and public offices
According to the report, the Bill on Management and Regulation of Information Technology means to curtail the freedom of expression of
The proposed provision of stringent punishment for posting improper contents on social media is equally threatening to media freedom and
citizen rights to expression.
&Against the broader expectation that journalists and media fraternity would have a favourable atmosphere for
free reporting and respect to their profession, the rising number of violations perpetrated against media is a disappointing trend
It is to be famous that this year figure is the highest in six years,& according to the report.
