A Fresh violence broke out in Biratnagar, Nepal’s second-largest city, on Tuesday that left one person dead and many injured. The administration has imposed a curfew in the city and Police were struggling to bring the situation under control now. Curfews were also imposed in three other towns to restrict the violence in the region.
According to media watchdog groups report, the Journalists who were covering the violent protests in southern Nepal, have been attacked. They were threatened with death also.
The Federation of Nepalese Journalists said that in as many as 10 districts in south and southeast Nepal, journalists were threatened and attacked that have left eight people dead.
During the violence, nine journalists were assaulted and the local media offices were vandalized. According to a report, as many as 12 newspapers’ offices in the region have been forced to shut down. Seven journalists have been fled from here.
Bishnu Nisthuri, president of the federation said that
we have demanded the authorities to provide security to the media persons. The protesting organizations should stop harassing journalists in the region.
Nisthuri said further that even the families of the journalists are receiving threatening calls. protesters are accusing the media of unfair reporting of the local problems.
The Paris-based media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders, has also criticized the violence against journalists in that region.
The group said in a statement that
these attacks are very worrying as they endanger the media’s coverage of a key issue for the country’s future. The government must protect journalists during the rioting, so that they can work and move about safely.
