FF honors Govinda Kc With Courageous Journalism Award

Reporter with the Nagarik daily from Dailekh district, Govinda KC, has been honoured with the Courageous Journalism Award on Thursday. Acting Chief Justice Damodar Prasad Sharma conferred the award on journalist KC amidst a programme organized jointly by the freedom1 Forum and International Press Institute (IPI) Nepal Chapter in the capital. Also the publisher and editor of a local Teshro Ankha vernacular daily, KC was honoured with the award in recognition of his contribution to fostering press freedom1 and curbing impunity despite facing life threats especially in reporting about the murder of journalist Dekendra Thapa. KC untiringly and dauntlessly reported about the murder-accused of journalist Thapa in the local and the national newspaper from his district, which in a way created pressure on the authority to initiate action against the murder-accused who were living scot free. But, he along with his 22 friends were forced to leave from their work station in Dailekh after receiving continuous death threats from the leaders and cadres of the UCPN-Maoist, CPN-Maoist, taking over the news reporting on the arrest of the Dekendra's murder. At the same programme, Acting Chief Justice Sharma released a book published by the freedom1 Forum named, 'Compilation of Supreme Court Decisions on Media and Information'. The book has compiled as many as 134 SC decisions from 2008BS to 2069 BS. Speaking on the occasion, Acting CJ Sharma said free press was not only important for independent judiciary but also for the protection of human rights. The Supreme Court is committed to making the court media friendly, he added. Similarly, Member of the National Human Rights Commission Gauri Pradhan said Nepal witnessed disappointing time in terms of free press this year. Administrative Court Chair Kashiraj Dahal said democratic values would be jeopardized in the absence of free press. Senior journalist Harihar Birahi said court needs to become friendly to the press in order to respect people's rights. Free press is not only for journalists but for the empowerment of people and their freedom1 of expression, he added. freedom1 Forum Chairman Taranath Dahal said the governments in the recent years have been indifferent to the free press. Award recipient KC said the award has encouraged him to continue his fight for citizen's right and press freedom1.