On June 20, around a dozen journalists were barred from reporting at the District Administration Office (DAO) in Makwanpur, Bagmati Province.
According to Freedom Forum’s (FF) province representative, Rammani Dahal, Chief District Officer (CDO) Scheme Shrestha barred journalists from recording videos of two separate meetings among political leaders. The discussions were held to address contemporary public issues.
Representative Dahal from Gorkhapatra national daily reported that while CDO Shrestha permitted to take photos, she refused video recording during the meetings, citing instructions from ‘higher authorities’. “When we, journalists inside the office, reminded her that earlier there was a practice of allowing video recording as well. She allowed to record brief footage before the discussions, although she allowed to record brief footage before the discussion, she didnot allow it after the participant began speaking”, Dahal informed.
Additionally, journalist Bhawana Rijal from Nepal Television stated that seven reporters, including herself, were barred from entering the meeting room claiming that there was not enough space. "As a result, we had to wait for updates," she said.
Freedom Forum is concerend towards the administration’s actions, which undermine press freedom and the citizen’s right to information. Because it was an all side meeting dwelling on public issues, journalists' access to the meeting would ensure better reporting. FF urges the administrative authority to respect journalists’ right to free reporting on public issues and co-operate with them in future.
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