A Voice For the Voiceless

MISSION

The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

Katmandu Protests: 10/29/05

Journalists Protest Government Ordinance in Katmandu
By the Collective Campaign For Peace

Kathmandu, October 29, 2005- A protest was organized by journalists today at the Ratnapark in Kathmandu. Ratnapark has been declared by the government as a prohibitory zone for protests and mass meetings. The protest was held against the new media ordinance promulgated by the government recently. The copy of the media ordinance was burnt by the journalists. Meanwhile, security personnel intervened in the protests and detained over a dozen journalists, including Balkrishna Chapagain, president of Press Chautari, which had organized the protest.

Similarly, Bharat Pokhrel vice president of Press Chautari and Gagan Bistha secretary of Press Chautari and other journalists Devraj Rimal, Bhimsen Rajbahak, Ramhari Silwal, Bishwamani Subedi, Rohit Dahal, Janma Dev Jaishi, Rajednra Aryal, Gokul Baskota, Gopal Khanal, Gobinda Chaulagain, Prakash Silwal, Chetanath Dhamala and Kishore Shrestha were also detained during protests.

Just after setting the ordinance on fire the journalists had also organized a corner meeting at Bhotahiti. General Secretary of the Federation of Nepalese Journalits (FNJ) Mahendra Bista, President of South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA Nepal) Gopal Thapalia and General Secretary Shambhu Shrestha, and President of Reporters' Club Rishi Dhamala addressed the meeting.

-The COCAP Human Rights Monitoring Team