Pokhara, September 4 

Journalists in Kaski today staged a sit-in in front of the District Administration Office seeking unconditional release of their colleague Om Hamal, who was detained, released and detained again for being a ‘supporter’ of Netra Bikram Chand’s Communist Party of Nepal.  

The government has imposed a ban on Chand-led CPN and its activities. 

Federation of Nepali Journalists Kaski general member and Janasanchar.com editor, Hamal, who has been operating as a journalist from Pokhara for  the past 23 years, was first taken into custody by Kaski Police on August 23 from Sishuwa of Pokhara. 

Hearing on the  writ filed by FNJ central member Janmadev Jaisi, the Supreme Court had  ordered his release yesterday afternoon, but he was arrested again from the court gate a short while later. 

A joint bench of judges Kedar Prasad Chalise and Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada had issued the order to  release him yesterday.  

Protesting the illegal detention of their colleague and seeking his release, pressmen led by FNJ Kaski held the sit-in, and sent a memorandum to the prime minister through Chief District Officer Shreenath Poudel. 

Nepal Press Union central Vice-chairperson Ramesh Poudel, its Kaski district Chair Nabin Sigdel, and journalists Punya Poudel, Nawaraj Subedi, among others, participated in the sit-in today, vowing to continue their agitation until their colleague was released.