In a report released by the US government's Department of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, it is stated that there are severe restrictions on freedom of speech and media freedom, violence against journalists, threats and unjustified arrests in Nepal.
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The US government's 'Human Rights Report-2024' concluded that the overall situation of human rights in Nepal has not improved. In the 'Human Rights Practices-2024' report released on Wednesday, it is said that extrajudicial killings, torture, human trafficking, inhuman and degrading treatment, attacks on freedom of expression and media, as well as violence, intimidation and arbitrary arrests against journalists have occurred in Nepal. The report also covers the attacks on Nepali media.
In a report released by the US government's Department of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, it is stated that there are severe restrictions on freedom of speech and media freedom, violence against journalists, threats and unjustified arrests in Nepal.
The report concludes that the government has taken steps to investigate the officials who violated human rights, but the officials who have been found guilty have not been punished. Kailash Sirohia, president of Kantipur Media Group, was arrested on the charge of fake citizenship as an example in the report. "The Federation of Nepalese Journalists claims that Sirohia was arrested in retaliation for Kantipur, Nepal's largest daily, writing news about the irregularities of high-ranking politicians," the report said. In the
report, it is mentioned that journalists including journalist Gopal Dahal of Investigative Journalism Center were threatened and physically assaulted. The report also states that such incidents have created an environment of 'self-censorship' in the media. Similarly, the report said that unnecessary restrictions have been imposed on journalists to collect news in public places.
The report also mentions the incident where the Nepali army did not allow the journalists to enter Tundikhel and the photojournalists protested when they came to collect the news of the National Democracy Day. According to the report, there have been extrajudicial killings by the government and its agencies this year as well. It has also been reported that no complaint has been filed against the security forces in the Human Rights Commission in such cases.
"In the report of some civil society, it is mentioned that there are controversial and extrajudicial killings and such incidents are being studied," the report said. Similarly, although child marriage is illegal, especially in remote areas, children are forced into child marriage due to social pressure, it is also mentioned in the report.
Citing the claims of human rights organizations, the report states that the security forces made illegal arrests and abused the right to detain them for 24 hours without prosecution. In some cases, even basic facilities such as legal counselling, food and medicine are not given sufficient access, the report said.
