Kathmandu, March 29 (BDNEWS) – Journalists across the Himalayan Kingdom took out silent rallies Tuesday demanding swift restoration of democracy and press freedom.
They took to the street for the first time after King Gyanendra of Nepal clamped emergency rule, suspended civil liberties and imposed strict restrictions on press on February 1.
About 350 journalists, joined by human rights activists, marched through the streets in Kathmandu without police intervention despite their heavy presence.
They carried placards and banners with messages demanding early restoration of press freedom and lifting of emergency rule.
The rallies were organised across the country to mark the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), the umbrella body of Nepal's media personnel. The government has banned organising such rallies after the February 1 Royal take-over.
However, police used force to disrupt a similar rally in Nuwakot district, 70-km north-west of Kathmandu.
Six journalists including chief of the FNJ district unit, Bishwomitra Khanal, were briefly detained.
Police also confiscated banners "Release all detained journalists", "restore press freedom" and "lift press censorship".
Issuing a statement in Kathmandu, FNJ president Tara Nath Dahal said, "All the progress and achievements achieved so far by the Nepalese media are at the edge of being wiped out (in absence of democracy)."
Many journalists, after the February 1 Royal take-over, have shied away from their profession, many have gone underground and some others have gone in exile, Dahal said.
Since the royal take-over, at least 12 journalists are still under detention while some 15 others were released. Administration has been warning media not to write or publicise anything that goes "against the letter and spirit of the Royal proclamation".
King Gyanendra's move has drawn widespread international criticism and has been asked to lift emergency rule, restore civil liberties and press freedom.
BDNEWS/1906 hrs
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