Media Action Nepal welcomes court orders upholding press freedom
KATHMANDU | June 20: Media Action Nepal welcomes recent court rulings that reaffirm press freedom and safeguard journalists’ rights in Nepal.
In a landmark decision, the Kathmandu District Court (KDC) reversed an earlier interim order that had instructed news portals Bizmandu and Nepal Khabar to remove news stories involving Santosh Narayan Shrestha, Chairperson of the Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON). The order, issued on June 10 by Judge Pitambar Sharma, was annulled on June 19 by Judge Shyam Bihari Maurya following a two-day hearing. The court ruled in favor of journalistic independence, stating that the media outlets are no longer required to remove their investigative reports regarding bribery allegations linked to Shrestha.
Meanwhile, in a significant ruling on June 19 from the Patan High Court, a joint bench of Justices Tanka Prasad Gurung and Tikaram Acharya extended an interim order preventing the arrest of senior journalist Dil Bhusan Pathak. The court concluded that the case filed under the Electronic Transaction Act (ETA) 2008 lacked merit, particularly when mechanisms like the Press Council Nepal are in place to handle media-related grievances. Previously, on June 16, the High Court issued a short-term interim order not to arrest Pathak.
The ruling emphasized constitutional guarantees under Articles 17, 19, and 27, protecting freedom of expression, right to communication, and information respectively. It further affirmed that Pathak, a long-time journalist and registered media entrepreneur, should not face criminal proceedings for his work unless legitimate grounds are proven.
Similarly, on June 18, the Kathmandu District Court (KDC) ordered the release of NepalPukar.com editor Prakash Chandra Dahal on a bail of NPR 5,000. Dahal was arrested while reporting on the March 28 royalist protest in Tinkune of Kathmandu. Justice Resh Raj Sharma ruled that Dahal filmed the video as part of his professional duties and ordered his release on bail pending trial, finding no reason to keep him in custody. Dahal’s footage from inside the vehicle of protest instigator Durga Prasai has been critical to ongoing investigations. The court’s decision acknowledged his role as a journalist, rejecting charges of incitement and violence.
Praising the court decisions as pivotal for upholding journalistic integrity, Laxman Datt Pant, Founder and Executive Director of Media Action Nepal, stated, “These rulings establish crucial precedents that strengthen Nepal’s dedication to press freedom and deter the misuse of authority aimed at silencing critical journalism.”
Praising the court decisions as pivotal for upholding journalistic integrity, Laxman Datt Pant, Founder and Executive Director of Media Action Nepal, stated, “These rulings establish crucial precedents that strengthen Nepal’s dedication to press freedom and deter the misuse of authority aimed at silencing critical journalism.”