90-day detention warrants to journalists; Women leaders arrested

The government on Monday handed three month long detention warrants to 20 journalists arrested from a peaceful demonstration organized by Press Chautari Nepal protesting the recent attacks on journalists on Sunday.

Those getting three month long detention warrants include Chairman of Press Chautari Nepal Bal Krishna Chapagain, vice-chairman Bharatraj Pokhrel and general secretary Ganesh Basnet.

Likewise, journalists Sambhu Shrestha, Gagan Bista, Bhimsen Rajbahak, Bal Kumar Nepal, Dev Raj Aryal, Rohit Dahal, Rajendra Phuenyal, Sushil Aryal, Dev Raj Aryal, Prakash Silwal, Govinda Chaulagain, Indra Baniya, Punya Bhandari, Kiran Pokhrel, Surojung Pandey, Om Prakash Acharya and Dipak Oli also received three month long detention warrants.

They have been detained at the Dashrath Stadium. Press Chautari Nepal has condemned the government’s move.

Meanwhile, issuing a press statement CPN-UML condemned the government’s act of handing out detention warrant to journalists and urged all journalists to protest against the move.

In another incident, 13 women leaders of Nepali Congress (NC) have been taken into custody from Bhotahiti, while defying prohibitory orders imposed by the government.

Those arrested include general convention representative of NC, Pushpa Bhusal, Ambika Basnet, Indira Koirala, Bina Koirala, Maiya Gurung, Subhadra Ghimire and Rashmi Thapa among others. nepalnews.com pb Apr 17 06