FNJ condemns harassment of journalists

The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has condemned harassment, manhandling, and threats to journalists in Banke and Chitwan districts in recent incidents.

Journalists Rudra Subedi, Khamba Pun, Rabindra Ghimire, Javed Halwai, and Gaurav Giri among others were harassed by Saugat Bikram and others while they were in Nepalgunj to cover the marathon event last Saturday, December 10, said the FNJ Banke chapter.

Similarly, Hemanta Chaudhary, editor of an online news portal, was threatened by Chief of Sikta Sub-Division Forest Office Sunil Acharya at Raptisonari Rural Municipality-4 in the district last December 11.

Likewise, FNJ Chitwan chapter Treasurer Rajendra Acharya was manhandled by the security persons of Gadi Securities while reporting a musical event at Narayangadh in Chitwan district on December 11, the FNJ said.

The umbrella organization of the journalists argued that acts of harassment, assault, and threatening the journalists who were fulfilling the reasonability of informing the citizens were against freedom of the press.

"The FNJ strongly condemns such acts carried out against freedom of the press. The Federation demands with the concerned authorities to bring to book the perpetrators and create an enabling environment for the journalists to work freely and without fear," read a press statement issued by the FNJ on Monday.