KATHMANDU, Feb 21: The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has sought further improvements in the Media Council Bill and Information Technology (IT) Bill before proceeding with the bills.

KATHMANDU, Feb 14: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul Banskota has said that the Information Technology Bill will be endorsed by the federal parliament soon.

Media Council Bill registered in the parliament by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in May last year was flawed in many respects.  It had the provision of Media Council slapping journalists with a fine of up to one million rupees for “publishing content against the media code of ethics.”

KATHMANDU, Jan 19: Main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) on Sunday submitted a memorandum to the government through district administration offices in all seventy-seven districts throughout the country as a part of its protest against Nepal Special Service Bill tabled in the parliament and Information Technology Bill endorsed by the Parliamentary Committee on Development and Technology.

KATHMANDU, Jan 17: The Amnesty International (AI) has asked Nepal’s parliament to amend the Information Technology (IT) bill in conformity with the international standards and ensure that the law is not used to criminalize the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression.

KATHMANDU, Jan 13: President of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Govinda Acharya on Monday said that the FNJ will be forced to knock the door of Supreme Court if some of the controversial provisions of the proposed Information and Technology (IT) Bill are not revised.

KATHMANDU, Jan 13: Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has clarified that the government does not have any policy to curtail peoples' freedom.

Arresting for writing in social media platforms, forcing artists to delete their songs from the internet and filing court cases against comedians are some of the missiles launched by the authorities to curtail free speech in recent times. These trends suggest that the government authorities are determined to curtail freedom of expression in online and offline platforms. With the promulgation of regressive and restrictive laws one after another, the situation is getting worse.

Our socio-political situation always and noticeably remits one or another controversial issue to the people, who love to engage in an endless debate. MCC was the talk of the town, and still is. The proposed bill on information technology—mentioned as IT Bill—has hogged the media space and engaged the mass at mammoth scale. The provision that states anyone posting defamatory, blasphemous and disrespectfully vulgar or profane remarks against somebody on and through social media will be sentenced up to five year and fined up to one and half million rupees is the subject of intense criticism.

KATHMANDU, Jan 10: Experts have expressed deep concerns over the provisions of controversial Information and Technology (IT) Bill stating that the proposed law is against the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution.

KATHMANDU, Jan 8: Sajha Party on Wednesday urged the government to withdraw the controversial Information Technology Bill.

The government, which has been receiving widespread criticisms over a number of flawed bills that it introduced in the parliament in recent months, has been heavily criticized again over Information Technology (IT) Bill which has been endorsed by the house committee recently, despite reservations from the members of opposition party, and which awaits endorsement from the parliament.

KATHMANDU, Dec 30: The ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has forced a controversial Bill on Information Technology through a parliamentary committee amid public outcry for amendment and opposition lawmakers writing a joint note of dissent against various provisions that are against the freedom of expression.

KATHMANDU, Dec 29: Minister for Communication and Information Technology Gokul Baskota on Sunday said that the proposed 'Information and Technology Bill' aims to combat cyberbullying.

KATHMANDU, June 22: After the country promulgated its new constitution in 2015, the first in Nepal written by a constituent assembly, the list of fundamental rights grew to 31 from 24 in the interim constitution. Expectations were high that the people were about to enjoy greater freedom.

KATHMANDU, Mar 17: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul Banskota made it clear that the new information technology bill was brought to manage digital medium but not against citizens' rights of expression.

KATHMANDU, Feb 23: Opposition lawmakers have demanded amendments to the Information Technology Bill, stating that it will constrain freedom of speech and online expression.