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Alert

Journalists assaulted and threatened

(FNJ/IFEX) - An unidentified group that came on motorbikes attacked Manoj Khanal, chief editor of the national weekly "Balan Times", at around 8:50 p.m. (local time) on 10 June 2006 at Siraha, southeastern Nepal. He was attacked in relation to an article about a non-governmental organization, Bhawani Integrated Development.

According to Dineshwore Prasad Sharma, President of the FNJ Siraha branch, the attackers took advantage of the dark and attacked Khanal with the intention of taking his life.

In another incident at Siraha, Rajendra Mahato, publisher and editor of "Sagarmatha Dhwani Weekly", was manhandled and threatened by Ram Awatar Shah, of the non-governmental organization Shreepuraj Community Development Center, at around 5 p.m. on 10 June.

Mahato was threatened with death for disseminating news about the organization.

The FNJ condemns the incidents and urges the authorities to arrest the perpetrators and prevent the repetition of such actions in the future.