KATHMANDU, Feb 6: The arrest of journalist Rishi Dhamala is a case fabricated by the government, said President of main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) Girija Prasad Koirala in a meeting with the international media mission.
"The case filed against him (Dhamala) by the government is a fabricated one. The present government and the Maoist leadership has been giving continuity to killings of journalists, abductions and threatening," one of the participants present during the meeting quoted Koirala as saying.
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According to the participant, Koirala also argued that the country’s media was insecure as a result of the culture of impunity becoming an increasing trend due to lack of punishment against the assailants.
Koirala talking to foreign journalists.Dipesh Shrestha
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"Providing security to the media and journalists is the responsibility of the government. The Maoist-led government is not democratic. It is an authoritarian government. Such a government does not give security to the press," he said.
He urged the international representatives to press the Maoist-led government to mend its ways.
The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) invited the mission that comprises of representatives from the International Federation of Journalists, International Media Services, Article 19, World Press Freedom Committee and UNESCO.
Chairman of the FNJ Dharmendra Jha, General Secretary Poshan KC, and former FNJ Chairman, Tara Nath Dahal were also present during the meeting.
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