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Editor of "Hetauda Sandesh" newspaper interrogated by regional administrator

(CEHURDES/IFEX) - CEHURDES condemns the harassment of Santosh Neupane, editor of "Hetauda Sandesh", a daily published from the southern town of Hetauda, by a royal appointee.

According to reports, Rabindra Chakravarty, the central development regional administrator appointed by the royal government, summoned Neupane to his office on 4 December 2005 and questioned him for nearly eight hours. Chakravarty also warned Neupane not to publish anything critical of the government.

Chakravarty verbally interrogated Neupane with respect to five separate news items published in his daily about a rally being organised by the opposition parties and the reprinting of an interview with Maoist party chairman, Prachanda.

CEHURDES sees the incident as clear harassment of the editor of an independent newspaper. CEHURDES condemns such activities by a royal-appointed official and asks the government to probe into the incident. We also ask the government to ensure that journalists are allowed to work in a free and fair environment.