Kathmandu, November 2
The Nepali Congress parliamentary party has demanded the formation of a special parliamentary committee to investigate the arrests of journalists and other controversial government actions related to the incidents.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the party’s parliamentary group on Monday.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, parliamentary party leader Bhishma Raj Angdembe said the party wanted an independent, impartial and transparent investigation into the arrests of journalists and other related government activities, with those found responsible brought to justice.
“The Nepali Congress believes there must be an independent, impartial and transparent investigation into the arrests of journalists and all other controversial government activities linked to these incidents. Those responsible must face legal action. A special parliamentary committee should be formed for this purpose,” he said.
The party’s parliamentary group said recent government actions had raised serious questions about civil liberties, press freedom, the autonomy of constitutional bodies and the rule of law.
Angdembe said the party objected to the arrests of journalists, arguing that deploying police inside newsrooms without making public clear legal grounds, arrest warrants or court authorisation amounted to undue pressure on independent journalism and violated the rule of law.
“The government must answer for this,” he said.
He said the Nepali Congress supported the government’s initiatives on matters of public interest and good governance when they were appropriate. However, the party would oppose any government action that went against the fundamental principles of democracy, the rule of law, press freedom and the separation of powers.
Angdembe also stressed the need to protect the independence of the judiciary, saying the government appeared to be acting with the assumption that it could do anything without having to provide answers.
The party believes the incidents form a dangerous pattern of deliberate attempts to weaken the country’s constitutional structure and establish a system of governance that serves the government’s own interests, he said.
