Kathmandu. The Democracy Media Network (DMN) has expressed serious concern over the incident of plain clothes police arresting journalists working in various media houses on the basis of writing news.

DMN Chairman Shiromani Dhungana issued a statement saying that the organization’s serious attention has been drawn to the news of the journalists being detained and left behind.

Initial reports said that the journalists were detained in an attempt to ascertain the source of the news, the DMN said.

Stating that freedom of press and expression is an essential condition in a democratic society, the DMN said that the right of journalists who write news on issues of public importance to protect their sources is a universally established recognition. The organization says that it is inappropriate to arrest journalists on the basis of writing news and to put pressure on them to disclose the source of the news.

“Such incidents indicate that the state has increased surveillance on journalists and media,” the statement said.

The DMN is concerned that if journalists are pressured to disclose their sources, the entire journalism sector, including investigative journalism, will be affected in the future and will create fear and panic among the sources that provide information to journalists. This will reduce citizens’ access to information on issues of public importance and also limit the possibility of obtaining information on topics involving powerful people, the statement said.

Similarly, the DMN has stated that there is a legal procedure and procedure to examine and redress any disagreement or question about the news published in the media. The organization believes that it is objectionable to adopt the style of arrest by the state agencies instead of adopting these methods.

The DMN has demanded the government to conduct a fair and transparent investigation into the detention of journalists without delay and to make the facts public. It has also urged the concerned authorities to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.