Kathmandu, Aug 09: Nearly 100 journalists marched
through the Nepalese capital today, defying a ban on street
protests under Emergency Rule and demanding the restoration of
press freedoms.
The protesters carried kerosene lanterns and candles,
saying they hoped the government would see the light generated
from them amid the "dark world" of Emergency Rule.
"We are protesting the government's terrorising of journalists, their arrest without any cause and even disappearance of some journalists," said Taranath Dahal, the president of the federation of Nepalese journalists.
Under the emergency laws, police have the power to arrest
a suspect for 24 days without a warrant. Civil rights,
including press freedoms, have also been suspended.
Police kept a close eye on today's rally but made no
attempt to break it up.
More than 130 journalists have been detained since
November. Nearly two dozen of them are still in detention or
are reported missing from police custody.
Dahal said the whereabouts of nine journalists were still
not known.
These include Krishna Sen, the editor of a pro-Maoist
newspaper, who was arrested in may after the government
accused him of writing articles in support of the rebels.
Last month, the Paris-based organisation reporters San Frontiers, which advocates press freedom, alleged Sen had been killed by security forces while in detention.
The government says police are investigating Sen's
whereabouts.
Bureau Report
