Dr Rabin Man Shakya
Former President, Nepal-Russia Press Center.
World Press Freedom Day was marked in Nepal and in other countries of the world on May 3, 2018 with different programs and rallies.
According to media reports, World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) was celebrated in Kathmandu and other parts of Nepal by organizing different programs. To mark the occasion, a huge rally was organized on May 3, 2018 in Kathmandu too.
It is to be noted that May 3 was proclaimed World Press Freedom Day by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 following a recommendation adopted at the 26th session of UNESCO's General Conference in 1991.
Well, Nepal marked the WPFD with different kinds of intimidations and assaults on journalists reported throughout the country over the past year.
Even though today Nepal is a federal democratic country and press freedom was enshrined into the constitutional preamble, intimidations and attacks on Nepalese journalists are on the rise. In the past several years a number of Nepalese journalists were killed.
According to 2018 World Press Freedom Index, not without reason, Nepal has slipped six spots down to the 106th position compared to last year's ranking among 180 nations.
Going by the World Press Freedom Index, the Himalayan nation garnered 32.05 points whereas it was ranked 100th with 33.02 points in 2017.
Therefore, celebration of WPFD is very relevant for Nepal and the Nepalese journalists. This Day reminds us that we should attach more importance to safety and protection of the journalists. There were many cases in the past that the killers of the journalists went scot-free in Nepal. As a matter of fact, impunity has affected press freedom globally and there should be coordinated efforts to put the culture of impunity to an end.
Nepal is no more a kingdom, no more King Gyanendra's idiosyncrasies, no more repressive Panchayat regime. But despite the fact that scenario of press freedom is improving, nevertheless, assaults on journalists are also increasing alarmingly.
Journalists in Nepal like in many other countries are also a vulnerable lot. They brave difficult situations while protecting public interest but the question is: who protects them? A number of journalists suffer intimidations and physical assaults because of what they write.
Celebration of World Press Freedom Day is an opportunity to uphold the fundamental principles of press freedom, to defend the media from assaults on their independence and to pay tributes to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Taking a trip down memory lane, when I was still in Nepal and was the president of Nepal-Russia Press Center, the Center had also organized a program to mark the World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2002 at the Russian Cultural Center in Kathmandu.
Director of Russian Cultural Center Vladimir P Ivanov, journalist Dr Rabin Man Shakya and Dil Ratna Shakya of Nepal-Russia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, among others, had thrown light on the significance of the World Press Freedom Day.
Former President, Nepal-Russia Press Center.
World Press Freedom Day was marked in Nepal and in other countries of the world on May 3, 2018 with different programs and rallies.
According to media reports, World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) was celebrated in Kathmandu and other parts of Nepal by organizing different programs. To mark the occasion, a huge rally was organized on May 3, 2018 in Kathmandu too.
It is to be noted that May 3 was proclaimed World Press Freedom Day by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 following a recommendation adopted at the 26th session of UNESCO's General Conference in 1991.
Well, Nepal marked the WPFD with different kinds of intimidations and assaults on journalists reported throughout the country over the past year.
Even though today Nepal is a federal democratic country and press freedom was enshrined into the constitutional preamble, intimidations and attacks on Nepalese journalists are on the rise. In the past several years a number of Nepalese journalists were killed.
According to 2018 World Press Freedom Index, not without reason, Nepal has slipped six spots down to the 106th position compared to last year's ranking among 180 nations.
Going by the World Press Freedom Index, the Himalayan nation garnered 32.05 points whereas it was ranked 100th with 33.02 points in 2017.
Therefore, celebration of WPFD is very relevant for Nepal and the Nepalese journalists. This Day reminds us that we should attach more importance to safety and protection of the journalists. There were many cases in the past that the killers of the journalists went scot-free in Nepal. As a matter of fact, impunity has affected press freedom globally and there should be coordinated efforts to put the culture of impunity to an end.
Nepal is no more a kingdom, no more King Gyanendra's idiosyncrasies, no more repressive Panchayat regime. But despite the fact that scenario of press freedom is improving, nevertheless, assaults on journalists are also increasing alarmingly.
Journalists in Nepal like in many other countries are also a vulnerable lot. They brave difficult situations while protecting public interest but the question is: who protects them? A number of journalists suffer intimidations and physical assaults because of what they write.
Celebration of World Press Freedom Day is an opportunity to uphold the fundamental principles of press freedom, to defend the media from assaults on their independence and to pay tributes to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Taking a trip down memory lane, when I was still in Nepal and was the president of Nepal-Russia Press Center, the Center had also organized a program to mark the World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2002 at the Russian Cultural Center in Kathmandu.
Director of Russian Cultural Center Vladimir P Ivanov, journalist Dr Rabin Man Shakya and Dil Ratna Shakya of Nepal-Russia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, among others, had thrown light on the significance of the World Press Freedom Day.
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