Center for Human Right and Democratic Studies

REPORT 2004

Summary of the Nepal Report 2004

KATHMANDU, May 3, 2004, World Press Freedom Day

Nepalese Press Subject to Unprecedented Suppression

Nepalese media continued to face assaults from both the government and Maoist rebels in the Nepalese year 2060 B. S. (mid-April 2003 through mid-April 2004), said Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES), a non-governmental organisation that is monitoring the state of press freedom and freedom of expression in the country over the last five years. The annual Nepal Report, published on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day (May 3) Monday, says that the security forces and Maoist rebels killed half a dozen journalists over the last one year. Of them, security forces killed Binod Sajana Chaudhary of Kailali, Padma Raj Devkota of Jumla and Nagendra Pokhrel of Morang in the name of their counter-insurgency offensive. Similarly, the rebels killed Gyanendra Khadka in Sindhupalchok and Mayor Gopal Giri in Birgunj. Amar Lama, publisher of Taja Khabar weekly, was abducted in broad daylight from his office in Kathmandu, and was killed within one hour in Kritipur, at the outskirts of the capital by an unidentified group. The government has not taken any urgent initiative to bring the culprits to book in all those incidences of murder. According to the data compiled by the CEHURDES, at least twenty-six journalists have been displaced from their residence and work areas last year amid threats by the Maoists and security forces. Seven journalists are still missing out of whom five were reportedly arrested by the security personnel and their whereabouts remain unknown ever since. Similarly, there were incidences of manhandling against at least eighty-six media personnel while twenty-two journalists and three media outlets had to face direct threats. Atrocities against the “Fourth State” that culminated after the declaration of the state of emergency in November 2001 further intensified after the dismissal of the elected government by King Gyanendra on October 4, 2002. The government detained a total of forty-nine journalists last year while hundreds of journalists and human rights activists were detained briefly while defying the government’s ban on peaceful assembly in the Kathmandu last month. Dozens of journalists have been beaten and injured by the police while covering on-going anti-King demonstrations in the capital. There have been eight major incidences of seizure of publication last year. The government has done nothing to fulfil its national and international obligations related to human rights and there have been blatant violation of press freedom. CEHURDES is also worried to what seems like the environment of “self-censorship” that the Nepalese media is being forced to pursue.

CEHURDES has been calling upon both the government and Maoist rebels to ensure safety and security of media personnel and ensure that they are allowed to work freely and in a fearless environment. CEHURDES has also been coordinating with the like-minded international organisations and networks to promote the cause of press freedom and freedom of expression in the country.

(This report covers the period of mid April 2003- mid April 2004)

Situation of Press Freedom over 7 years

S.N.	Particulars	2054	2055	2056	2057	2058	2059	2060	Total
1	Killings	-	-	1	-	1	9	6	17
2	Disappearance	-	-	1	1	1	4	7	14
3	Abduction	-	-	1	-	1	1	3	6
4	Arrest/Detention	27	27	22	5	109	83	49	322
5	Ban/Sensor/Seizure	2		4	8	13	7	8	42
6	Attack/Misbehave	7	19	15	48	19	18	86	212
7	Threat	-	5	4	7	4	10	26	56
8	Administrative Action	-	-	-	1	5	-	11	17
9	Legal Action	-	10	5	-	27	19		61
10	Displacement	-	-	-	-	-	-	26	26

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Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES)
GPO Box 23809, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel/Fax: 0977-1-4780809
E-mail: cehurdes@mos.com.np, cehurdes@enet.com.np
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