Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, February 18:

Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) has said that Nepal’s independent media has suffered a setback due to the royal proclamation and imposition of the state of emergency. Issuing a press statement here today on the occasion of the Democracy Day, FNJ president Taranath Dahal accused that the State has either blacked out information or tried to use the media as its propaganda tool, ignoring international appeals for freedom of expression.

The statement has expressed grave concern over the detention of a number of journalists, including FNJ general secretary Bishnu Nishthuri, Sujiv Bajracharya, publisher and editor of Sandhyakalin City Times, and other reporters affiliated with state-owned Gorkhapatra daily and Rastriya Samachar Samiti. Basanta Parajuli of Gorkhapatra and RSS representative, both from Chitwan, have been sentenced for three months without any reason. The FNJ has demanded immediate release of the journalists detained by the government.