Police neglect fundamental freedom enshrined in the constitution
MEDIA RIGHTS MONITORING DESK-Media Action Nepal
KATHMANDU/ March 15: While the constitution of Nepal guarantees Right to Communication and Right to Information in Articles 19 and 27, respectively, city police have been neglecting them, suppressing independent media.
On February 28, Kathmandu Metropolitan Police brutally assaulted a journalist, fracturing his leg ligament while he was doing his job. On the other hand, Itahari Sub-Metropolitan City police harassed and misbehaved with another journalist, Krishna Bhattarai (Bahab), who covers Parliament and the judiciary for Shilapatra, a Nepali online news portal.
Krishna told Media Action Nepal that he recently scooped a story about a Sub-Metropolitan City fabricating a document and went to the Sub-Metropolitan City’s office to gather information for a follow-up yesterday.
“However, there was a conflict between city police and City Safari workers (e-rickshaws, also known as Citi Safari locally). I thought this could be a newsworthy subject and started capturing it with my phone.
Meanwhile, a city police officer approached me and snatched my phone, while another pushed me fiercely away from my location,” he said.
“A police officer even said, ‘If you are a journalist, stay as one; do not use cameras much.’ I argued with him and got my phone back, but there was no room for legal debate as I witnessed police booting City
Safari drivers and driving them into the suburbs.”
He also stated that he filed a FIR at the Itahari Police Station; however, it appears that the police have been delaying the registration of his case. “My case has yet to be registered by the police, despite
the fact that I reported it over 24 hours ago.” I believe the Mayor of the Sub-Metropolitan City has put pressure on the police not to register my case, he said.
On the other hand, Itahari Mayor Hemkarna Paudel took to Facebook and wrote a post condemning city police’s misbehavior towards journalist Krishna Bhattarai during the dispute between city police and Citi Safari drivers at the Itahari sub-metropolitan city’s gate, and he also expressed his commitment to always ensuring the safety of journalists.
He also stated his unwavering support for democratic values, press freedom, justice, and independent journalism. “To investigate the incident, we formed a three-member investigation committee, coordinated by Kamal Pokharel, head of the legal department. While informing everyone that the incident was not planned, I also express my commitment to investigating the facts and taking strict action if found guilty,” reads his post.