Order to remove news must be constitutionally justified
KATHMANDU | June 23 : Media Action Nepal is concerned by the Kathmandu District Court (KDC)’s order to remove 66 news stories published by biznessnews related to allegations of irregularities in BYD vehicle imports.
Dissatisfied with several news stories published by Biznessnews, Cimex Inc. Pvt. Ltd., the authorized distributor of Chinese electric vehicle brand BYD in Nepal, approached the court. In an order issued on June 19, the bench of KDC Judge Jagat Bahadur Poudel stated that the court has continued the interim order issued on June 8 adding that until the final resolution of the petition, the media content listed in the petition shall not be published or broadcast by Bizness Venture Media Pvt. Ltd. or any other media outlet, including its online platforms.
Media Action Nepal calls on authorities to respect the Article 19 of the Constitution of Nepal that guarantees the right to communication and prevents any form of censorship, whereas Nepal is also a state party to international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Any allegation concerning false content or any demand for the removal of published news should be subject to strict legal scrutiny and validation, Media Action Nepal added.
Any allegation concerning false content or demand for the removal of published news stories should be subject to strict legal scrutiny and validation.