Nepal’s largest newspaper is due in court Friday summoned by the country’s chief justice for articles critical of him, in a case widely condemned as an attack on press freedom. Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders slammed the move against the newspaper and urged lawmakers to impeach the top judge. “It shouldn’t be necessary to remind a chief justice that you cannot be judge and party at the same time,” said Daniel Bastard, the watchdog’s Asia-Pacific expert. A new constitution passed in 2015 proclaims complete press freedom and bans censorship of news, which was common during monarchic rule. Nepal ranks 100 out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index.

Source: Dhaka Tribune March 02, 2018 04:41 UTC