KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 20
The Supreme Court today issued a stay order against the government asking it not to arrest anyone for making negative statements against projects run by friendly countries, their project staff, foreign nationals, or their properties.
The home ministry had issued a press release on September 3 urging all not to make negative comments against projects run by friendly countries, their project staff, foreign nationals, or their properties. The ministry had urged public not to do anything that could undermine Nepal's ties with friendly countries or create security problems for development projects.
The interim order was issued by a division bench of justices Meera Khadka and Tej Bahadur KC in response to writ petitions field by Atish Karki and Advocate Prabesh KC against the home ministry.
The court ordered the government not to arrest anybody for making comments against development projects, saying that the right of opinion and expression guaranteed by Article 17 of the constitution also meant freedom to air positive, as well as negative comments.
The home ministry had issued the order when sister wings of communist parties were protesting on the streets, as well as on social networking sites against the Millennium Challenge Corporation agreement that Nepal has signed with the USA.
A version of this article appears in the print on September 21 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
