Solidarity rally held in Dhangadhi on world press freedom day, calls for protection of press freedom

Dhangadhi: A solidarity rally was organized in Dhangadhi on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day. The rally was held on Sunday by the Federation of Nepali Journalists, Kailali district branch, under the main slogan “Building a peaceful future: Promoting press freedom for human rights development and security.”

Journalists and stakeholders from various media outlets participated in the rally. Speaking at a meeting held after the program, former president of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, Kailali, and Far West Coordinator Manmohan Swar stressed the need for unity to safeguard the rights and professional security of journalists. He said that journalists should collectively face the challenges confronting the press.

INSEC Provincial Coordinator Khadkaraj Joshi stated that press freedom plays a vital role in democracy and expressed that any attempts to control it under any pretext would not be acceptable. National Human Rights Commission Sudurpaschim Province Officer Videshram Chaudhary said that activities that suppress freedom of expression are unacceptable.

Similarly, Yogendra Balayar, central member of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, said incidents of press freedom violations have been increasing recently and urged media professionals to adhere to the code of conduct. At the program, Federation Kailali President Shravan Deuba stated that the Federation has always stood for the rights and interests of journalists and accused the current government of creating additional challenges for the press. He called on journalists to remain united.