Kathmandu, April 16:

At least 20 journalists were arrested from a peaceful rally organised by the Press Chautari Nepal at Bhotahity this afternoon. Police intervened in the rally while the scribes were protesting against yesterday’s brutal suppression of journalists.

Chairman of the Press Chautari Balkrishna Chapagai, Bharat Raj Pokhrel, Shambhu Shrestha, Balkumar Nepal, Rohit Dahal, Devraj Aryal, Gagan Bishta, Bhimsen Rajbahak, Rajendra Phuyal, Kiran Pokhrel, Punya Bhandari, Prakash Silwal, Govinda Chaulagai, Indra Baniya, Sushil Aryal, Surojang Pande, Om Prakash Acharya and Dipak Oli were arrested from the rally, among others.

A Press Chautari statement issued this evening said the arrested journalists have been detained at Dashrath Stadium. Through a separate press release, the FNJ demanded the release of the detained journalists.

The CPN-UML too condemned the arrest of the journalists through a statement today. The Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES) also flayed the arrest of the scribes from Bhotahity “The fact that the security forces are blindly opening fire at demonstrators clearly shows that the state has lost its senses,” a HUPRES statement said.