Concern over Bhutanese ‘reporter’ arrest (REPRODUCTION)

The Bhutan Chapter of the Third World Media Network (TWMN) has called on all international human rights bodies and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) to investigate the arrest of a Bhutanese refugee who, it’s claimed, has been working as a reporter for a number of newspapers.

The Bhutan News Service (BNS), which describes itself as an independent news service in the Bhutanese refugee camps, says that Royal Bhutan Army soldiers arrested Shatiram Acharya, 21, a resident of Beldangi-II camp, Sector ‘D’, on January 16 at the Tashilakha outpost after accusing him of being a Maoist militant.

The BNS says Acharya has since been handed over to the police station in Gedu, Chukha.

The online version of the Bhutan English language newspaper, Kuensel, which the BNS says follows the government line, claimed that, following questioning, Acharya revealed that in January 2006 he and six others were sent for training with the Nepal Maoist militants.

TWMN has expressed deep concern over the arrest and says that the security of detainees is uncertain inside Bhutanese jails.

"If Acharya is proven to be a journalist, he should get adequate support. International pressure needs to be put on the Druk regime in order to push for his early release."

Source: http://www.mediahelpingmedia.org, Thursday online version.