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Raid on Radio Sagarmatha condemned, journos still in detention (news update)

Media groups, human rights organizations and political parties have strongly condemned the raid on Radio Sagarmatha—the first community-run radio station in South Asia-- by police late Sunday and have demanded immediate release of three journalists and a technician and unconditional return of the seized equipment.

According to reports, some two dozen police personnel raided the radio station at Bakhundole, Lalitpur at around 9:15 p. m., seized radio equipment and took four journalists and a technician into custody. Journalist Durga Karki was released later.

Radio journalists Dipak Babu Aryal, Punya Bhandari, Dipak Raj Pandey and technician Rajendra Rijal are still in custody.

A group of journalists, rights activists and political leaders reached District Police Office of Lalitpur around mid-night on Sunday and chanted slogans demanding immediate release of rest of the journalists who were detained without warrant.

In a statement issued late Sunday, Laxman Upreti, chairman of Radio Sagarmatha FM, said, "Nepal has been the South Asian country pioneering the role of FM radio in informing the public, and Radio Sagarmatha has been the vanguard of this movement. The action by the government is a dagger to the heart of our radio revolution."

Upreti said, "At this hour of crisis, we seek the support of all who value freedom of speech and expression in Nepal."

The police raid came as the radio station was relaying live the transmission of BBC Nepali Service aired from London. The station had, however, decided to discontinue exclusive interview with Maoist chairman, Prachanda.

Seven other FM stations around the country also dropped their transmission of BBC Nepali Sunday night owing to pressure from local authorities, according to reports.

The government has also suspended the BBC World Service English relay transmission from the government-owned Radio Nepal and blocked the site of BBC Nepali website from which the interview of Prachanda could be played.

“This is the blatant violation of people’s right to free speech and free expression,” said Ghamaraj Luitel, spokesperson of the Save Independent Radio Movement (SIRM)- that is launching series of protests against the government-imposed ban on FM radio stations from airing news bulletins since the royal takeover of February 1.

“To order a radio station that has repute in entire South Asia, seize its equipment and arrest journalists is not only illegal, it is also an uncivilized act,” said Shiva Gaule, acting president of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ).

While seizing the equipment and arresting journalists, police had left behind two letters issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC). One of the letters said the Ministry had ordered the station to stop all its transmission until further notice, as per National Broadcast Act 2049 BS, for airing programmes that would encourage terrorists or terrorist activities. Another letter said the government had ordered to seize radio equipment as the radio station was found broadcasting programmes by violating the Ministry’s order not air (BBC Nepali) on Sunday (Nov. 27).

Officials with the Radio Sagarmatha, however, said they did not receive any notification, in writing or over phone, from the Ministry in advance and that they had already discontinued the interview with Maoist chairman Prachanda.

Set up nine years ago, Radio Sagarmatha is the pioneering public radio station of Nepal, airing programmes aimed at promoting Nepali literature, culture, music and open democratic debate in the society. nepalnews.com by Nov 28 05