Exiled journos under intimidation, say media organizations (Exclusive)

Kathmandu, December 20: Three Bhutanese media organizations operating from exile for establishing press freedom in Bhutan have said their deep attention has been drawing towards escalating violence and subsquent intimidation of journalists associated with Bhutan News Service (BNS).

In a joint press statement issued on Thursday, Association of Press Freedom Activists – Bhutan, Third World Media Network – Bhutan Chapter and Bhutan Press Union said that journalists working inside camps were receiving threats from local authorities after December 13 when a youth was shot by an unidentified armed group near Beldangi-I camp. 

Media organizations have accused local authorities of clamping baseless accusation on journalists Arjun Pradhan and Jiten Subba in connection with the shooting. "We make clear that Pradhan don’t have any connection to the incident", reads the release, adding that the journalists in exile would not compromise with any parties regarding their volunteer service towards safeguarding people's right to information.   

The release has further urged Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) and international press bodies to help create conducive atmosphere for exiled journalists to work.  

BNS is the only news agency of Bhutan. It is operated by journalists and all Bhutanese journalists are associated with it. Bhutan News Service