KATHMANDU, Aug 13: The journalism sector has protested the arrest of Kishor Shrestha, editor of Jan Aastha Weekly and chairman of Aastha Media, over the publication of a news report.
Shrestha was arrested from his residence in Nakkhu, Lalitpur, on Wednesday evening and is currently being held at the Kathmandu Police Range. Police arrested him in connection with a report published in Jan Aastha Weekly.
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A group of journalists, including Federation of Nepali Journalists President Nirmala Sharma and Press Chautari Nepal Chairman Ganesh Pandey, reached the Kathmandu Police Range to protest the arrest. They chanted slogans outside the police office and demanded Shrestha’s immediate release.
Journalists said arresting an editor over the publication of a news report amounts to interference in press freedom. They said any dispute over published content should be addressed through established legal and press related mechanisms, rather than by arresting and detaining journalists.
The Federation of Nepali Journalists and other media organizations have urged the government and security agencies not to interfere with the constitutional right to freedom of the press and expression. They also called for an environment where journalists can report and publish news without fear.
Shrestha has been active in journalism for four decades. Jan Aastha Media, under his leadership, has spent more than three decades reporting on irregularities and illegal activities in political, administrative and public spheres. The weekly has given priority to investigative journalism and has frequently questioned the conduct of people in positions of power.
Shrestha himself has faced legal and administrative disputes at various times over his reporting. His latest arrest has once again brought the issues of press freedom and journalists’ safety into public debate.
Shrestha is also the senior vice president of the World Press Councils. He is a former chairperson of the Press Council Nepal and former general secretary of the Federation of Nepali Journalists. He is widely known as a fearless and outspoken investigative journalist.
The journalism sector has expressed concern that arresting editors over published reports could create an atmosphere of fear and pressure in the media. Journalists have demanded Shrestha’s immediate release and said any legal proceedings related to the report should be pursued through due process.
Following Shrestha’s arrest, journalists and media related organizations have come together in support of press freedom. They have called on the state to develop a democratic culture that respects criticism and questions, and to protect independent journalism rather than seek to control the media.
