A dangerous warning for journalists: Agnes Calamar, Secretary-General, Amnesty International

She said this during a conversation with Secretary General Kalamar on the topic of 'Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions of Human Rights' by journalist Dilbhushan Pathak. Stating that it was wrong to arrest President Sirohia, she said, 'It seems that there is an attempt to put pressure on the media.' Speaking at the event, General Secretary Kalamar said that there is no investigation in other cases of serious crimes in Nepal, but the media is discouraged from writing news and publishing investigative material. "There has been an attack on the right to information and independent investigative reporting," she said, stating that the right to protest is important, and "attempts have been made to close the citizen's mouth."

General Secretary Kalamar emphasized that journalists should be professional but under no circumstances should journalists be arrested based on the news they write. "If laws are being made and practiced against the media and freedom of expression in the neighboring countries, the possibility of its impact on your country also increases," General Secretary Kalamar added, "all of these have a serious impact on society." General Secretary Kalamar also asked the reason for the detention of Kantipur Media Group Chairman Sirohia during the courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday. According to one of Prime Minister Dahal's advisers, General Secretary Kalamar said, "Why did you detain KMG President Sirohia?" In response, Dahal responded that he would be released from custody after an investigation in 2/3 days, citing citizenship.

Kantipur Dainik's office was arrested on Tuesday from Thapathali to take revenge after Kantipur Dainik continuously published news about the disturbance in the cooperative sector and the involvement of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ravi Lamichhane. After the arrest, Sirohia was sent to Dhanusha. Prime Minister Dahal informed Chief Minister Kalamar that the deadline has been extended to keep Sirohia for three more days for investigation.

Dahal and Kalamar discussed various issues related to transitional justice and human rights. Dahal mentioned that Nepal is committed to the protection and promotion of human rights and asserted that Nepal always strives to fulfill its national and international responsibilities related to human rights. But even after a long time in Nepal, the issue of transitional justice has not been resolved. During the meeting, Dahal said that the draft bill on transitional justice, which is under consideration in the parliament, will be taken forward with the trust of national and international stakeholders.

Dahal said in 2008, even when he was the Prime Minister for the first time, that transitional justice would be completed quickly. But even when he was the prime minister for the third time, the work has not been able to move forward with the victims at the center. During the meeting, General Secretary Kalamar expressed her hope that the law on transitional justice will be made soon to conclude the peace process of Nepal and that the peace process will be completed.

Similarly, Amnesty International's Secretary General Kalamar also met with Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. In the meeting held on Friday, Kalamar was interested in transitional justice, press freedom and the rights of marginalized communities with Deuba. In the meeting, she was also interested in Sirohia's arrest.

Transparency International Nepal has already stated that it is unfair to misuse state power against citizens based on the power and access to power. Regarding the co-operative fraud case and the arrest of Sirohia, the president of Transparency International, Padmini Pradhanang, said in a statement, 'It is unfair to weave a pattern to give someone immunity from crime on the basis of access to power and power, it is equally unfair to abuse state power against any citizen due to conflict of interest, revenge or revenge. '

Suppressing serious criminal matters including corruption, fraud, misappropriation of public property and funds based on political interests and transactions, not initiating action, not allowing investigation, not prosecuting, keeping responsible persons in the center of power out of the circle of investigation, ongoing investigation Transparency has expressed concern that incidents and trends such as preventing, as well as giving immunity from punishment even to those convicted by the court, are constantly increasing.

No one in the country should be exempted from the legal process under any pretext and all citizens should also get the protection guaranteed by the constitution and laws. Otherwise, Transparency International Nepal would like to draw the attention of the responsible parties to the bitter truth that the rule of law will be mocked and the country will be seriously weakened due to impunity.

Earlier, Kantipur President Sirohia has been demanded by international organizations for his quick release with reprimand for his arrest. International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the world's largest organization of journalists, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) of America, Transparency International Nepal and International Press Institute (IPI) Nepal Chapter have demanded Sirohia's immediate release. have done.

The American Embassy in Nepal has also issued a statement stating that it hopes for a meaningful dialogue between the government of Nepal and the people of Nepal to ensure good governance, freedom of the press and fundamental rights of the people. The IFJ said the arrest of President Sirohia is a matter of grave concern. "The president was arrested after a series of detailed reports alleging that Lamichhane (Home Minister Ravi) embezzled crores of Nepalese rupees in the savings of the cooperative fund when he was the managing director of the Gorkha Media Network," said a statement released by IFJ on Thursday.

IFJ is of the opinion that investigations against journalists and media persons cannot be informed for personal or political reasons and that the authorities should ensure Nepal's commitment to press freedom. Similarly, the RSF has also said that keeping President Sirohia in Hiratas is an abuse. Sirohia, the chairman of Kantipur Group, has been arrested and detained for two days in retaliation for investigating the involvement of the Ministry of Home Affairs in fraud and embezzlement. He should be released and KMG's work will not be hindered,' RSF said on social network X.

SPJ has said that it hopes that the Nepalese government will investigate Sirohia impartially. SPJ president Asanti Blaise Hopkins issued a statement demanding the release of President Sirohia and urging the government to stand by its commitment to a free and unfettered press. "We have just learned that Sirohia, the publisher of Nepal's leading daily Kantipur, who has been reporting serially on the home minister, has been arrested on the instructions of the home minister," said a statement issued by President Hopkins. President Hopkins said that even if the police investigate citizenship, they also have questions about the real purpose of arresting Sirohia. SPJ has also reiterated the suspicion of the Federation of Journalists that by arresting Sirohia in a vindictive manner, the whole press world is being tried.

Likewise, the international organization The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has also expressed serious concern about Sirohia's arrest. The CPJ has also asked the leadership and staff of the country's largest media group to refrain from intimidating and intimidating them in retaliation for the news. "The arrest of the president of Kantipur Media Group, Kailash Sirohia, from his office is a step to stop critical reporting by a large media group in Nepal," CPJ program director Carlos Martinez de la Serna said, "We want the relevant authorities in Nepal to report Kantipur Media Group freely and without fear of retaliation." We also request to ensure a working environment. "As Nepal continues to shape the democracy achieved after a difficult struggle, we hope that the government of Nepal and the people of Nepal will have a meaningful dialogue about ensuring good governance, freedom of the press and fundamental rights of the people," the American Embassy said on Wednesday through social media.

958.1 million misappropriation of four cooperatives in Gorkha media network, during the period when Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ravi was the managing director of the company, 803.1 million rupees from cooperatives were confirmed by documents in Gorkha media, a news was published in Kantipur on Tuesday. After that, a large number of police were mobilized in Kantipur office complex and Thapathali road from Tuesday morning. After that, President Sirohia was arrested by the police from the working room and taken to Dhanusha overnight because of the issue of citizenship. On Wednesday, the deadline for detention was extended for three more days, and on Friday, the deadline was extended for the second time by three days.

Photo: Sukarylal Shrestha/Kantipur