Stakeholders have said that journalism and expression should not be criminalized, saying that the Constitution of Nepal guarantees the right to freedom of press and expression.

In an interaction on 'Digital Media: Practices and Problems of Regulation' held by the Digital Media Department of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists on Wednesday, the speakers said that prosecuting journalism and expression as a criminal offense is not appropriate. Ujwal Acharya, former central member of the federation and director of the Center for Media Research, as a subject expert in the

program, said that the legal system punishing speech as a criminal offense is wrong. He said that journalism should be considered as a deed and changing the means and methods of product delivery should be taken as normal.

Recently, social networks have also been established as media, he said. "Not only online news sites, social networks are also established as a major source of information," he said.

He said that not only in Nepal, but all over the world, social networks and video platforms are emerging as major sources of information and news. He said that effective regulation is possible only through the initiative of both the state and the media. He said that the media should be responsible and accountable for their actions. In the

program, Nirmala Sharma, president of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, said that there are many problems and inadequacies in the laws currently being implemented for media regulation. She said that the government has criminalized journalistic work or speech-related activities in accordance with section 47 of the Electronic Transactions Act and prosecuted criminal cases.

It was President Sharma's commitment that the Federation would take initiatives with the government for the creation and implementation of necessary laws covering various aspects of Numedia and digital media. Umid Bagchand, vice president of the

federation, said that the influence of digital media has increased and now the government should pay attention to its regulation. But he said that efforts are being made against the constitutional provisions in the name of regulation and he said that the government should be alerted. In the

program, Shiv Prasad Satyal, president of the Online Journalists Association, said that the practice of prosecuting activities related to journalism and expression as criminal offenses is wrong. He said that he should be responsible for his journalism and expression and if such actions are unlimited, abusive or character assassination, he should seek legal remedies from a civil nature. He also emphasized that the Federation should not delay taking the necessary steps for that. The

participants stressed that the problems faced by journalists regarding the listing of digital media by the Press Council and the cases that are being prosecuted based on the Electronic Transactions Act must be serious.