Kathmandu: Nepalese newspapers today ran blank editorials to protest an attack on a prominent news publishing house by a Maoist-affiliated trade union.
Reporters and editorial staff members of Himal Media, which publishes a number of Nepali newspapers and magazines, were beaten up on Sunday by former members of the Communist Party of Nepal when they stormed into its premises.
A group of over 50 people vandalised the property leaving twelve staffers injured in protest warning the media group not to publish stories criticising the Maoists.
The attack has come in for strong condemnation by Federation of Nepalese journalists (FNJ) who said the storming of the media premises was "pre-planned, systematic and aimed at eliminating press freedom".
Dharmendra Jha, president of the FNJ, said journalists would be compelled to take to the street for another agitation to restore press freedom and democratic principles.
Jha said the government was not listening to their 15-point charter of demands, submitted six months back to include the implementation of the Working Journalists Act, guaranteeing Press freedom and providing security to journalists.
Former chairman of Press Council Harihar Birahi likened the Maoists attack on media as reminiscent of the Press crackdown carried out under the absolute rule by King Gyanendra.
He said that the government was trying to shield the culprits involved in beating scribes instead of taking action against them under law.
