Media Action Nepal denounces police threat to journalist
Media Action Nepal | April 26: Media Action Nepal has denounced the threat issued by Superintendent of Police (SP) Bhuwaneshwor Tiwari against a journalist for merely reporting the news. On April 25, SP Tiwari of the District Police Office, Dhanusha in Madhesh province, threatened Sumit Mishra, Khabarhub.com’s Janakpurdham correspondent, over the news.
Following the publication of a news report on Khabarhub.com on April 25, SP Tiwari called journalist Mishra in the evening, demanding that he immediately report to the police office, , apologize, and take down the news, according to Mishra.
“Tiwari threatened me over the phone and ordered me to appear at the station without a warrant,” he told Media Action Nepal. Tiwari also threatened to file a case and arrest him if he did not comply.
Journalist Mishra clarified that he did not write the news, which was published from Khabarhub.com’s central newsroom. Similarly, the head office of Khabarhub.com confirmed that the news was published from the centre.
Denouncing the police misconduct, Laxman Datt Pant, Executive Director of Media Action Nepal, emphasized that security forces must respect the work of journalists and safeguard press freedom at all times. “Authorities must exercise restraint and avoid any actions that undermine the role of a free press,” he said.
