Mediapersons staged a protest in New Baneshwor today, demanding amendment to anti-media provisions stipulated in the Civil Code Act, Criminal Code Act and Right to Privacy Bill. The Federation of Nepali Journalists led the street protest, saying provisions in these laws intended to silence and incriminate journalists who dared to exercise their constitutional rights, freedom of expression, right to information and free press. Journalists who participated in the protest displaying placards and banners said they were compelled to take to the streets after the government paid no heed to the pressure campaign launched through media. The journalists put their pens, diaries, cameras and recorders on the ground to protest the ‘draconian laws’. Addressing the programme, FNJ president Govinda Acharya said, “Launching street protest is our compulsion, not wish.” He warned that FNJ would intensify its stir against the government if its demands were not met immediately. The FNJ has called a meeting of its central working committee for Sunday and Monday to announce protest programmes. Press Chautari Nepal, Nepal Press Union, National Forum of Photojournalists and other organisations associated with press have joined FNJ to pressure the government and lawmakers to amend the laws. According to FNJ, some provisions related to offence against state, public peace, defamation and right to privacy in the penal code are meant to curtail freedom of expression. Journalists also observed that the Right to Privacy Bill registered at the Parliament Secretariat recently intended to empower the government agencies to keep information of public concern and about persons holding public posts secret, hindered and harmed free journalistic practice and eclipsed the right to information under the mask of privacy. Meanwhile, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal has said that the government is committed to amending anti-press provisions, if any, in the penal code. Speaking at an interaction organised by Online Journalists Association in Kathmandu today, he said, “The new penal code and bill are not made to curtail individual, professional and constitutional rights of anyone and hence the government will never curtail press freedom. Preamble of the constitution has itself spoken about complete press freedom. We’ll discuss a memorandum submitted by FNJ for amending provisions in the penal code,” he said. नेपाल पत्रकार महासंघले पत्रकारहरुलाई फौजदारी अभियोग लगाउने नयाँ मुलुकी ऐनको प्रावधान तत्काल हटाउन माग गर्दै सडक आन्दोलन पनि सुरु गरेको छ । पत्रकारहरुलाई फौजदारी अभियोग लगाउने प्रावधान हटाउन सञ्चार माध्यमबाट गरिएको आग्रह बेवास्ता गरेपछि महासंघले शुक्रबारबाट सडक आन्दोलन सुरु गरेको हो । शुक्रबार दिउँसो नयाँ बानेश्वरमा विरोध प्रर्दशन गर्दै पत्रकारहरुले आफूहरुलाई फौंजदारी अभियोग लगाउने प्रावधान हटाउन सरकार तयार नभएपछि बाध्य भएर सडक आन्दोलन सुरु गर्न बाध्य हुनुपरेको बताएका छन् । पत्रकारहरुले क्यामेरा, पेन, डायरीलगायतका सामग्री सडकमै राखेर विरोध प्रदर्शन गरेका थिए । नेपाल पत्रकार महासंघका अध्यक्ष गोविन्द आचार्यले आफूहरुको माग सम्बोधन गर्न सरकार तयार नभएपछि सडक आन्दोलनमा आउन बाध्य हुनु परेको बताउनुभयो । उहाँले तत्काल आफूहरुको माग अनुसार नयाँ मुलुकी ऐन संशोधन नगरे सरकारविरुद्ध कडा आन्दोलन गर्ने चेतावनी पनि दिनुभयो । नेपाल पत्रकार महासंघले नयाँ मुलुकी ऐनका कतिपय प्रावधान प्रेस तथा अभिव्यक्ति स्वतन्त्रता विरोध रहेको, कतिपय प्रावधान पत्रकारहरुलाई अपराधीसरह कारबाही गर्ने ढंगले आएको भन्दै त्यसलाई सच्याउन माग गर्दै सरकार र सरोकारवाला निकायलाई ज्ञापन पत्र समेत बुझाई सकेको छ । अध्यक्ष आचार्यले अब पनि आफूहरुको माग सम्बोधन नभए सरकार विरुद्ध कडा आन्दोलनमा जाने गरी आउँदो सोमबार थप आन्दोलनको कार्यक्रम घोषणा गर्ने जानकारी पनि दिनुभयो । आन्दोलनको थप कार्यक्रम तय गर्न आइतबार र सोमबार महासंघको कार्य समिति बैठक बोलाइएको छ । त्यही बैठकले आन्दोलनको थप कार्यक्रम तय गर्नेछ ।