The editors met the prime minister following the fresh threats by the UML-aligned Youth Association Nepal (YAN) chief Mahesh Basnet in Biratnagar on Saturday to jail the editor of the Nagarik daily, Narayan Wagle, and shut down the Nepal Republic Media that publishes the newspaper. [break]
The delegation had also drawn the government´s attention toward the attack on Annapurna Post reporter Kishor Budhathoki in Sankhuwasbha by some criminal elements Friday.
Khanal assured the editors that the government is serious about the safety of journalists and media houses and take action against anyone violating the rule of law and press freedom.
"Whether it is Mahesh Basnet or somebody else, the government will bring the guilty to book," a participant quoted Khanal as telling the delegation.
The delegation also submitted a memorandum to the prime minister demanding that the government guarantee the freedom of expression and right to life guaranteed by the constitution.
"We editors draw attention of the government and CPN-UML to be serious toward the peoples´s right to life and guarantee press freedom and rule of law as ensured by the Interim constitution of Nepal 2063," reads the memorandum.
YAN chief Basnet has been openly challenging the state, saying that he is protecting fugitive Parshuram Basnet, YAN chief of Biratnagar, and launching street protests to pressure the government into withdrawing the case against Prashuram.
"The challenge to the police by Mahesh Basnet to arrest Parashuram Basnet, who is accused of attack in the courthouse and against whom an arrest warrant is already there, is a mockery of the rule of law," states the memorandum.
The editors asked the prime minister why the government and his party have remained silent even after the CPN-UML publicly challenged the state and the court of law.
During the meeting, the editors accused the UML of not being serious toward press freedom, and argued that the UML cadres are promoting impunity in the country.
The delegation comprised Republica editor Ameet Dhakal, Nagarik editor Narayan Wagle, Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Chairman Shiva Gaunle, Kantipur editor Sudhir Sharma, The Kathmandu Post editor Akhilesh Upadhyay, The Himalayan Times editor Ajaya Bhadra Khanal, Annapurna Post editor Jibendra Simkhada and executive editor Guna Raj Luitel, Naya Patrika editor-in-chief Krishna Jwala Devkota, Nepali Times editor Kunda Dixit, Rajdhani Editor Rajan Sharma, and Nepal Samarcharpatra editor Pushkar Lal Shrestha, The Reporters editor Yubaraj Ghimire, Himal Khabar Patrika editor Kiran Nepal, Nepal Magazine editor Prasant Aryal, and Himal South Asia Kanak Mani Dixit.
The delegation of the editors is visiting Biratnagar on Monday and hold consultation with local journalists, civil society members and lawyers to boost the confidence of journalists who have been terrorized by YAN leaders in the region.
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