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Nepal crime reform sparks press freedom concerns
Why it is in news?
- Nepal introduced a new criminal code on Friday that makes sharing confidential information a jailable offence, sparking concerns among journalists that the laws could be used to muzzle the press.
Facing criticism
- Media have warned that the Communist-led government, which has shown an increasing intolerance for dissent, could use the vaguely worded code to silence critics.
- The new laws make publishing private information, recording audio or taking pictures without permission punishable by up to three years in jail and a fine.
- Publishing content that damages a person’s reputation directly or through satire is also subject to the same sentence.
- The new laws mark a slide towards “authoritarianism”.
- The Himalayan nation is ranked 106 out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.
Source
The Hindu