CPJ disturbed by SC's ruling , FNJ moves to UN
New york, Nov 12-A New York based press freedom monitoring group has said Nepali Supreme Court’s verdict of Friday could open doors to permanent censorship in the Himalayan kingdom.
“King Gyanendra promised that his draconian measures against the press would be temporary. But this latest decision opens the door to permanent censorship,” said Ann Cooper, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). “If the Supreme Court does not protect the basic right to freedom of expression enshrined in Nepal’s constitution, then journalists are at the mercy of the King,” she said.
The press has been under attack from the government since King Gyanendra seized absolute power in on February 1. Emergency measures instituted at the time shut down the independent press and stopped private FM radio stations from broadcasting news, a primary source of information for many Nepalese. At the time, the king promised international allies and donors that actions against the press were temporary measures intended to aid in the fight against a Maoist insurgency, the statement said.
On Friday, a special bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Poudel refused to block the media ordinance introduced by the government last month.
Private lawyers, nine professional groups and Kantipur F. M. had filed separate petitions at the apex court challenging the constitutionality of the new media law.
Same as,A day after the Supreme Court refused to block what they call the 'draconian' media law, one dozen media organisations called on Ian Martin, chief of the United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal, and apprised him of the latest situation.
In a memorandum handed over to Martin, the media groups said they feared that in the aftermath of the refusal of the Supreme Court to block the media ordinance, the state could expedite its repressive measures against the media.
"Nepali media and media professionals are under total danger now. We have felt that now the United Nations needs to play a more pro-active role to protect Nepalese media community from all types of offences by an autocratic regime," the memorandum said.
The rights groups said they saw immediate threat of physical attack upon the independent Nepali media. "The midnight raid on Kantipur F. M. last month has made it clear that the government would resort to similar attacks in near future against independent media institutions around the country. The situation is such that the property of some five dozen independent radio stations and hundreds of newspapers could face attacks from the state any time," the memorandum said.
The media groups also referred to the agreement signed by the royal government and the UN OHCHR in Geneva early this year and urged Mr. Martin to make the international community aware about what they called imminent threats that the Nepali media community was facing and take urgent steps "to stop the autocratic government from launching fresh crackdown on the Nepalese media."
"We would like to reiterate our commitment to press freedom and freedom of expression in the country once again and express our strong belief that Nepalese people are ready to make all type of sacrifice as the situation may warrant to protect their fundamental rights as guaranteed by the country's constitution and international human rights treaties to which Nepal is a party," the memorandum said.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Ian martin who had opened his office on Saturday despite being a holiday to receive the media delegation said the UN was studying the new media law to see if it violated Nepal's international obligations. He said the UN was concerned over threats of physical attack upon media institutions. He also called upon the media community to inform his office in case there were threats to media personnel.
Mr. Martin said he did not have an opportunity as yet to convey the concerns of his office to the government officials but said he would convey his concerns as soon as he meets them.
New york, Nov 12-A New York based press freedom monitoring group has said Nepali Supreme Court’s verdict of Friday could open doors to permanent censorship in the Himalayan kingdom.
“King Gyanendra promised that his draconian measures against the press would be temporary. But this latest decision opens the door to permanent censorship,” said Ann Cooper, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). “If the Supreme Court does not protect the basic right to freedom of expression enshrined in Nepal’s constitution, then journalists are at the mercy of the King,” she said.
The press has been under attack from the government since King Gyanendra seized absolute power in on February 1. Emergency measures instituted at the time shut down the independent press and stopped private FM radio stations from broadcasting news, a primary source of information for many Nepalese. At the time, the king promised international allies and donors that actions against the press were temporary measures intended to aid in the fight against a Maoist insurgency, the statement said.
On Friday, a special bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Poudel refused to block the media ordinance introduced by the government last month.
Private lawyers, nine professional groups and Kantipur F. M. had filed separate petitions at the apex court challenging the constitutionality of the new media law.
Same as,A day after the Supreme Court refused to block what they call the 'draconian' media law, one dozen media organisations called on Ian Martin, chief of the United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal, and apprised him of the latest situation.
In a memorandum handed over to Martin, the media groups said they feared that in the aftermath of the refusal of the Supreme Court to block the media ordinance, the state could expedite its repressive measures against the media.
"Nepali media and media professionals are under total danger now. We have felt that now the United Nations needs to play a more pro-active role to protect Nepalese media community from all types of offences by an autocratic regime," the memorandum said.
The rights groups said they saw immediate threat of physical attack upon the independent Nepali media. "The midnight raid on Kantipur F. M. last month has made it clear that the government would resort to similar attacks in near future against independent media institutions around the country. The situation is such that the property of some five dozen independent radio stations and hundreds of newspapers could face attacks from the state any time," the memorandum said.
The media groups also referred to the agreement signed by the royal government and the UN OHCHR in Geneva early this year and urged Mr. Martin to make the international community aware about what they called imminent threats that the Nepali media community was facing and take urgent steps "to stop the autocratic government from launching fresh crackdown on the Nepalese media."
"We would like to reiterate our commitment to press freedom and freedom of expression in the country once again and express our strong belief that Nepalese people are ready to make all type of sacrifice as the situation may warrant to protect their fundamental rights as guaranteed by the country's constitution and international human rights treaties to which Nepal is a party," the memorandum said.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Ian martin who had opened his office on Saturday despite being a holiday to receive the media delegation said the UN was studying the new media law to see if it violated Nepal's international obligations. He said the UN was concerned over threats of physical attack upon media institutions. He also called upon the media community to inform his office in case there were threats to media personnel.
Mr. Martin said he did not have an opportunity as yet to convey the concerns of his office to the government officials but said he would convey his concerns as soon as he meets them.
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