Journalists have staged nationwide sit-ins and demonstrations protesting against the government’s recent directives to keep 140 types of information secret on February 1.

INSEC representatives reported that journalists led by the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) have staged demonstration, sit-ins and organized corner meet in front of District Administration Offices in various districts protesting the government's move.

In Kailali, journalists staged a sit-in in front of DAO for an hour starting from 10 am while journalists with black bands on their mouth staged demonstrations in Nepalgunj. They submitted a memorandum to the government through Banke CDO Krishna Chandra Ghimire. Journalists had torched the letter that consisted of the categorization of information by the government at Tulsipur in Dang. Agitating journalists staged a sit-in in front of DAO in Bardiya. Various organizations including Nepal Bar Association and INSEC had expressed solidarity to the sit-in. In Chitwan, journalists led by Nepal Press Union staged a sit-in in front of DAO for an hour starting from 10 am. In Jhapa, some 70 journalists with black bands in their mouths staged demonstrations and staged sit-in in front of DAO.

In Kaski, journalists staged a sit-in protest in front of DAO for an hour starting from 10 am. Addressing a corner meet organized after the sit-in, Press Union central member Gangadhar Parajuli said that the government has kept democracy at bay by curtailing the rights to information. Meanwhile, Human Development Forum and Pro Public Kaski demanding to withdraw the government directives to categorize information sent a memorandum to Prime Minister through the Kaski DAO today. Similar demonstrations and sit-in protests were also organized by journalists in various districts including Gorkha, Kapilvastu and Siraha today.

The government had issued a new classified information directive, barring an individual, media or an organisation from accessing 140 types of information, including that on big development projects, parliamentary decisions and major decisions of the government recently.