Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Khotang has protested a Nepali Congress district leader’s threatening a journalist in the district over a news.

The FNJ Khotang said Nepali Congress Khotang district president Naresh Kumar Shrestha issued death threat to journalist Uttam Chaulagain over a news report about the former’s non-cooperation in keeping a suspected coronavirus patient in quarantine.

NC Khotang district president Shrestha threatened a journalist just for writing news although he could issue a refutation if he had any objections to the news or could have taken recourse to legal process to seek legal redress, the FNJ Khotang said in a statement.

The FNJ Khotang also said that it was a matter of regret for the entire journalism fraternity that a journalist has been given death threat at a time when actually journalists need encouragement as they have been fulfilling their responsibilities without caring for their life in such adverse situation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This is not what is expected of a responsible district leader. So, we draw the attention of the government and all sides concerned to the need of creating environment conducive for the practice of unrestrained and independent journalism, protecting the full press freedom guaranteed by the constitution," the statement issued by FNJ Khotang branch president Daman Rai states. The FNJ Khotang has also strongly called on the government for security to journalist Chaulagain.