KATHMANDU, Sep 7: Scores of journalists gathered at Maitighar Mandala on Sunday to protest the government’s decision to ban social media.
The protest was organized at the call of former office bearers and members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, the umbrella organization of journalists in Nepal.
Mr Speaker, Either Prove or Apologize!
Participants carried placards with slogans such as “No Ban,” “Freedom of Expression Is Our Right,” “The People’s Voice Cannot Be Silenced,” and “Democracy Is Being Hacked, Dictatorship Is Coming Back,” among others.
Journalists affiliated with various media outlets, editors, writers, freelancers and photographers joined the demonstration.
Earlier, former office bearers and members of the FNJ had issued a joint press release calling on journalists to participate in the protest. They also demanded the immediate reopening of social media platforms that have been banned in the country.
“We are seriously concerned by the government's restrictions on social media platforms. The ban, imposed under the pretext of a lack of registration, has severely undermined press freedom, freedom of expression, and citizens' rights in Nepal,” the statement reads.
