Media Action Nepal deplores deadly attack, death threats against journalists
KATHMANDU | August 16: Media Action Nepal condemns the attack on Saurabh Yadav, Saptari correspondent for Naya Patrika Daily, on the morning of August 15, and voices serious concern over the death threats issued against Indra Baniya, Executive Editor of Arthik News.com, on the same day in the evening by a staff member of the National Trauma Center in Kathmandu.
Saptari incident
Hadis Khuddar, Madhesh province’s Media Action Nepal coordinator, said Yadav informed him that at 10:42 a.m. on August 15, a group of three people attacked him with knives, belts, and helmets in front of the southern gate of Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital in Rajbiraj.
Yadav, who sustained head and body injuries, is receiving treatment at Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital. “I was talking to my friends in front of the gate when Krishnanath Yadav (Captain) of Chinnamasta Rural Municipality-1 in Birpur, Raju Yadav of Rajbiraj-11, and Rajbabu Jha of Bishnupur Rural Municipality-7 suddenly attacked me,” Khudar reported, citing Yadav.
Khuddar also confirmed that the District Police, Saptari, have identified one of the attackers and are searching for them. He also stated that police have said action will be taken in accordance with existing laws.
Kathmandu incident
Meantime, a staff member of the National Trauma Center under the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) in Kathmandu has issued death threats to Indra Baniya, Executive Editor of Arthik News. The threat to break his limbs and even take his life came after Arthik News published a news story on August 14 exposing widespread financial and administrative irregularities at the Center. In response to the news, a female employee of the Center called me from a number ending in 48008 at 6:26 p.m. on August 15 and threatened to break my hands and legs and kill me, Baniya told Media Action Nepal.
Media Action Nepal considers both the physical assault on journalist Yadav and the death threats issued against editor Baniya to be deeply unacceptable attacks on press freedom. “Such actions cannot be tolerated in a democratic society. If anyone has concerns or objections to published news, they must pursue lawful avenues such as formal complaints rather than resorting to violence ,” said Laxman Datt Pant, Founder and Executive Director of Media Action Nepal.
Media Action Nepal strongly condemns these incidents and urges the concerned authorities to take immediate and stern action against the perpetrators in both cases and guarantee the safety of journalists.