Press Council Warns Against State Interference

Government agencies have received a strong reminder from the Press Council Nepal that issues pertaining to press freedom and journalistic ethics are under its purview and should not be meddled in.

 The Council urged state institutions to behave properly when discussing delicate subjects like the journalistic code of conduct in a statement issued on Thursday. It warned against overstepping boundaries and urged these bodies to clearly understand their legal jurisdiction.

"Since the Council has been responsibly carrying out its duties, we once again request state bodies not to create confusion and to respect our authority on matters concerning press freedom and ethics," the statement read.

Issued by Senior Administrative Officer and spokesperson Deepak Khanal after a meeting chaired by Council member Ram Prasad Dahal, the statement reaffirmed that the Council operates strictly under the guidelines laid out in the Press Council Act, 2048 (1992). These include provisions outlined in the law’s preamble, Section 5 (objectives), and Section 7 (functions, duties, and powers).

The Council also reminded stakeholders of its primary goals, which include fostering an atmosphere that is conducive to responsible journalism, preventing abuses of press freedom, encouraging positive press-government relations, protecting journalistic integrity from undue influence, and upholding public morality and individual dignity.