'Journos Targeted in Mass Rallies'

'Journalists brutally targeted at mass rallies across Nepal'

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is calling for the Nepalese Government to stop targeting journalists and respect the media's right to cover the news, free from intimidation and violence, following the arrests of up to 100 journalists and the brutal attack of 24 journalists across Nepal during the past five days.

"The IFJ is seriously concerned at the significant escalation in violent attacks on journalists and the media in Nepal over the past few days," said IFJ president Christopher Warren.

"The blatant disregard that the Nepalese authorities are showing for the work of the media is abhorrent," said Warren.

The mass arrests occurred when Nepal's Seven Party Alliance (SPA) called a four-day general strike and launched a mass democratic movement on Thursday April 6, resulting in the authorities introducing a dawn-till-dusk curfew in an attempt to thwart the pro-democracy rallies.

In an attempt to control the mass protests across Nepal, police and the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) have used teargas and batons and fired randomly at protestors in an attempt to control the crowd.

The police and RNA have systematically targeted journalists and mediapersons attempting to cover the mass protests resulting in mass arrests of media persons and multiple incidents of journalists being brutally attacked by authorities while attempting to cover the demonstrations.

"We are sickened at the beatings and assaults on our colleagues by the RNA and police," said Warren.

"I implore the Nepalese authorities to recognize the role the important media plays in reporting on protests," said Warren.

"The imposition of the curfew means it is more important than ever that journalists be given the right to free movement to enable them to report fully on these momentous days for Nepal," said Warren.

"It is unacceptable to treat independent media and journalists as the enemy
and not as independent observers," said Warren.

The IFJ calls for the immediate release of the 10 journalists that remain
in custody, many of whom were arrested without any legal notice and calls
for the Nepalese Government to instruct the authorities to immediately
respect journalists right to move about freely without fear of arrest or
physical assault.