Civil society opposes new social media law in Nepal

Expression

On 14th June, the government approved the ‘Online Media Operation Directive – 2016’, which is intended to ‘make online journalism responsible, and bring it within the jurisdiction of Press Council of Nepal.’ Through this directive, the government can shut down unregistered online media and websites that run misleading content or news without official sources. Critics say that the motive behind the directives is not to facilitate the development of online media but rather to allow the state to control online media, while criminalising freedom of expression online. In response to these criticisms, the government has formed a panel, including members from the Federation of Nepali Journalists, to review the directive and improve upon it. 

#Nepal government trying to stifle #pressfreedom & control info through online #media directive https://t.co/sUBtXddrl2 via @mediafound

— Ethical Journalism (@EJNetwork) July 7, 2016

Despite the introduction of this new law, there are no recent reports of journalists experiencing interference, harassment, and/or physical attacks in relation the free expression of their views, while state-owned media has been relatively editorially independent. However, in early May, a Canadian national Robert Penner was arrested for inciting disharmony through social media and later deported. In the weeks prior to his arrest, Mr. Penner had been posting online about a number of human rights issues in Nepal.

Peaceful Assembly

An alliance of parties representing indigenous groups organised peaceful protests in Kathmandu on 14th May. Protestors demanded the government revisit provisions of the new constitution, which they claim entrenches the marginalisation of certain ethnic groups in Nepal. The march passed off peacefully, was monitored by domestic and international monitors and was widely reported in the media. These peaceful demonstrations follow a period of unrest and violence as the same movement called a strike and blockaded the India-Nepal border, preventing essential supplies from being imported into the country. Some of those earlier protests had become violent and resulted in the loss of dozens of lives, including several policemen. Civil society has expressed solidarity with the latest round of protests and called for dialogue, to which the government has now responded by opening negotiations. Article 17 of the new Constitution guarantees freedom of peaceful assembly and no prior notice is required for the demonstrations except in some restricted areas around the major government establishments. Curfews (prohibitory orders) are clamped to maintain law and order.