Citizens should refrain from impeding the free flow of information
KATHMANDU, August 22: On the afternoon of August 21, victims of cooperative fraud set fire to several copies of the Samadhan National Daily, a newspaper published from Pokhara Metropolitan City in Gandaki Province. It has been revealed that this act was motivated by revenge and intended to intimidate media workers.
According to Samadhan Daily editor-in-chief Ram Krishna Gyanwali, the paper has published plenty of news on cooperative fraud. “However, this time we found something different. We got to know that an innocent person was pulled in the case and jailed,” he said. “Our reporter talked with the victim and wrote a story after cross-verification. This disenchanted some of the victims, and they burned the papers.”
He also mentioned that no one approached the newspaper’s office to discuss their disagreements, and no one challenged its content. However, on Wednesday, the newspaper was burned, leading us to believe that the incident was premeditated.
Media Action Nepal expresses concern over actions that undermine the free flow of information and the independence of the media. “If news stories or published articles are biased or inaccurate, people should use appropriate channels, such as the Press Council Nepal or the courts, to seek legal redress,” said Laxman Datt Pant, Chairperson of Media Action Nepal.
Burning newspapers discourages media professionals and fosters self-censorship, which hinders the free flow of information. This should be strongly discouraged in any democratic country where press freedom is valued by both citizens and the constitution, Pant added.
Featured photo : from RK (Ram Krishna) Gyanwali’s Facebook
