Nepal Police Calls for Restraint in Reporting on Cases Under Investigation

Nepal Police has issued a plea to journalists, urging restraint in reporting on cases under investigation.

In an interactive session organized by the Nepal Police’s Department of Crime Investigation today in Kathmandu, law enforcement authorities emphasized the importance of caution among journalists when covering ongoing investigations.

Chief of the Department and Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Tek Bahadur Tamang, expressed concerns about the potential for creating confusion and misinformation among readers if news reports speculate on individuals’ involvement based solely on hints and suspicions.

Tamang urged media personnel to exercise special care and responsibility when disseminating news related to ongoing investigations. He reiterated that the Nepal Police is committed to providing accurate information on matters of public interest.

Similarly, Mahendra Raj Singh, the monitoring chief at the Press Council Nepal (PCN), highlighted the council’s efforts to enforce a code of conduct in line with the Press Council Act-2048 BS. Singh stated that the PCN actively monitors media outlets and journalists to ensure compliance with ethical standards, taking action against violations of the code of conduct.

Sharada Chalise, an officer at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, outlined the ministry’s initiatives to promote the dissemination of factual and credible news. She mentioned that the ministry regularly organizes press briefings to inform the public about the decisions taken during cabinet meetings.

Despite these efforts, journalists participating in the interaction stressed the importance of transparency in public offices, emphasizing that withholding information could infringe upon the public’s right to access information. They called for a balance between respecting ongoing investigations and upholding the principles of transparency and accountability in governance.