Put freedom of expression in Nepal constitution: UN

A top UN official has asked the Nepal govt to include freedom of expression in the new constitution.

A top UN official has asked the Nepal government to enshrine guarantee of freedom of expression and access to information in the new constitution the country would soon write.

In his message on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, Richard Bennett of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCR) in Nepal, said all Nepalis, including journalists, would be empowered only if these rights are guaranteed by the constitution.

Bennett stressed the important role of the media in a country like Nepal, which is recovering from a decade-long civil war that claimed an estimated 13,000 lives until the Government and Maoist rebels signed a peace accord in 2006.

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“In a post-conflict society such as Nepal, where tensions are sometimes high and challenges remain to human rights, governance, development and durable peace, the media plays an even more central role where accuracy and depth of reporting is especially crucial,” stated Bennett, who also heads the human rights unit of the UN Mission in Nepal.

OHCHR plans to conduct a workshop for journalists in June on the media’s role in reporting on the Constituent Assembly elections, including the drafting of a new constitution.

Bennett noted that the activities of media ‘are not without controversy’ as the April 10 polls demonstrated. In general the media did its job of reporting in a balanced and responsible manner, he added.

He also voiced concern about the incidents of violence against journalists that were reported during the election process.

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According to the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), there were 20 cases of physical attacks, a dozen cases of threats and intimidation, and numerous other attempts to stifle freedom of expression.

In addition, a report released on Saturday by the Federation of Development Journalists (FODEJ) reveals that the number of incidents in which media persons were targeted jumped in 2007 from 294 to 474.

Bennett pledged the assistance of OHCHR to help ensure that the right to freedom of expression and information is respected by all in Nepal.

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