Kathmandu, November 3

A half-day South Asia Regional Consultation on Combating Impunity for Crimes against Journalists was held here today.

The event was organised with the aim of promoting freedom of expression and safety of journalists by combating impunity in South Asia. The consultation focused on the role of constitutional bodies, transitional justice mechanisms, media and civil society in combating impunity for crimes against journalists in South Asia, with a special focus on Nepal Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Attended by media rights advocates, journalists, and officials of judicial and constitutional bodies of Nepal, Bangladesh  and Pakistan, the meet discussed crimes against  journalists and how journalists had been  victimised and murdered. It also shed light on how the state had been unresponsive towards the issues of journalists in  the South Asian region.

Speakers at the event talked ongoing attacks on media professionals and the failure to bring culprits to justice. “Legal and practical mechanisms that abide by international human rights values and legal provisions should be put in place to end impunity. State should give priority to formulating new laws and reviewing old ones. A solid commitment is needed to prevent attack against journalists and to end impunity,” shared Laxman Datt Pant, chairperson of Media Action Nepal.

Talking about the cases of crimes against journalists, the speakers opined that little had been done. “Justice has been achieved in some of the murder cases, but it has been a long battle,” informed Tahmina Rahman, regional director of Article 19.

The event was jointly organised by Article 19 and Media Action Nepal.