About IFEX:

News by region:

IFEX Campaigns and Advocacy:

IFEX Email Products:

Opportunities and assistance:

Alert

Radio journalist, station threatened by militant group for not covering its activities

(FNJ/IFEX) - Dependra Chauhan, a member of the Press Council and news coordinator of Radio Birgunj, was threatened with physical assault by members of the militant group Janatantrik Terai Mukati Moarchha-JTMM, Jwala Singh faction, for not reporting on their activities. The incident took place on 31 May 2007 in Parsa, Birgunj, a central district of Nepal.

According to the FNJ Chitwan chapter, the district coordinator of JTMM, Ashish Singh, issued the threat in a call to Chauhan's mobile phone. However, after various media reported on the threat, Singh telephoned Chauhan and made an apology, clarifying that he did not intend to threaten him.

Similarly, the radio station Narayani FM is also continuously receiving threats from the JTMM for not covering their activities.

FNJ has condemned these threats and is concerned about the increasing number of threats made against journalists by JTMM and has urged the group to respect press freedom. It has also requested that the government ensure the safety of media persons.