In its report published on Tuesday, the Paris-based organization said
security forces arrested, detained, tortured or threatened about 100 Nepali journalists last year. The Maoists murdered one journalist and threatened dozens of others for allegedly spying for the army.
According to the report, journalist Gyanendra Khadka was murdered by the Maoist rebels while pro-Maoist reporter, Binod Sajana Chaudhary, was killed by security forces in separate incidents last year. Security forces detained 36 journalists and at least 12 journalists were being held by security forces by the end of 2003, the report said. At least 51 journalists were imprisoned and five journalists were kidnapped during the year, the report said.
"It was a grim year for press freedom. Nepali journalists have been targeted as never before by the belligerents of a bloody civil war," the report added.
The report, however, noted launching of two new terrestrial broadcast TV stations, Kantipur Television and Image Channel, in the private sector as a positive development last year. The number of community radio stations in the country reached 25 including the Karnali community radio targeting people in the remote northern region. Similarly, the Maoists also launched their own station, Radio Janaganatantra Nepal (Radio Republic Nepal), in the west of the country on 7 November 2003, the report said.
In its third annual worldwide index of press freedom, the RSF said press freedom was threatened most in East Asia (North Korea, Burma, China, Vietnam and Laos) and the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria and Iraq). The greatest press freedom was found in northern Europe (Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands and Norway), which, the organization said, was a haven of peace for journalists.
Predictably, Nepal has its place somewhere near bottom of the worldwide index. Out of 167 countries surveyed, Nepal has acquired the 160th position. nepalnews.com by Oct 27 04
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security forces arrested, detained, tortured or threatened about 100 Nepali journalists last year. The Maoists murdered one journalist and threatened dozens of others for allegedly spying for the army.
According to the report, journalist Gyanendra Khadka was murdered by the Maoist rebels while pro-Maoist reporter, Binod Sajana Chaudhary, was killed by security forces in separate incidents last year. Security forces detained 36 journalists and at least 12 journalists were being held by security forces by the end of 2003, the report said. At least 51 journalists were imprisoned and five journalists were kidnapped during the year, the report said.
"It was a grim year for press freedom. Nepali journalists have been targeted as never before by the belligerents of a bloody civil war," the report added.
The report, however, noted launching of two new terrestrial broadcast TV stations, Kantipur Television and Image Channel, in the private sector as a positive development last year. The number of community radio stations in the country reached 25 including the Karnali community radio targeting people in the remote northern region. Similarly, the Maoists also launched their own station, Radio Janaganatantra Nepal (Radio Republic Nepal), in the west of the country on 7 November 2003, the report said.
In its third annual worldwide index of press freedom, the RSF said press freedom was threatened most in East Asia (North Korea, Burma, China, Vietnam and Laos) and the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria and Iraq). The greatest press freedom was found in northern Europe (Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands and Norway), which, the organization said, was a haven of peace for journalists.
Predictably, Nepal has its place somewhere near bottom of the worldwide index. Out of 167 countries surveyed, Nepal has acquired the 160th position. nepalnews.com by Oct 27 04
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