भारत, अमेरिका,बंगलादेशसहित बिभिन्न देशमा कार्यरत ३ दर्जन भन्दा बढी लेखक, बुद्धिजीवि, पत्रकार तथा सम्पादकहरुले पत्रकार कनकमणि दीक्षितलाई तत्काल रिहा गर्न नेपाल सरकारसमक्ष माग गरेका छन् ।
शनिबार एक सार्वजनिक विज्ञप्ति जारी गर्दै उनीहरूलाई पत्रकार दीक्षित सच्चा मानवाधिकारवादी तथा सक्रिय पत्रकार भएको बताएका छन्।
‘दक्षिण एशियामैं मिडियामाथि सरकारी दबाब र हस्तक्षेप बढीरहेको भन्दै दीक्षितको गिरफ्तारीलाई पूर्वाग्रहीको संज्ञा दिएका छन्। ‘हामी नेपाल सरकारसमक्ष दीक्षितलाई रिहा गर्दै पूर्वाग्रहरहित ढंगले, पारदर्शी भएर उनीमाथि लगाएका आरोपहरुको छानबीन गर्न माग गर्दछौं,’ विज्ञप्तिमा भनिएको छ।
हेर्नुहोस् विज्ञप्तिको पूर्ण पाठ
The following is the text of the statement:
It is with deep concern that we have learned of the arrest today of Kanak Mani Dixit, the widely respected founder-editor of Himal Media and a courageous voice for transparency, freedom of expression and democratic rights in Nepal and across South Asia. The charges are related to alleged corruption but Kanak Dixit says it is part of a vendetta pursued against him by people in Government.
We have known Kanak Dixit as a true professional, human rights defender and energetic journalist whose credentials are built on robust research and tremendous courage. Himal Media, a pioneer in South Asia journalism, has published Himal South Asia, Nepali Times and Himal Khabar Patrika (in the Nepali language). He has written extensively for international media including leading newspapers in India and is chairman of Sajha Yatayat, a state run transportation company, which he has been turning around from a loss-making entity.
Kanak Dixit’s detention comes at a time of increased pressure on free media across South Asia. We call upon all national and international media organisations, individual journalists and editors, defenders of media under pressure, on those who believe in the freedom of expression, to seek Kanak Dixit’s immediate release and a fair and transparent trial, free of bias.
We call upon the Government of Nepal to issue a transparent and unequivocal statement on his detention for we are deeply concerned about his safety and rights. We condemn all forms of pressure tactics on editors like him and other courageous media figures such as Mahfuz Anam of the Daily Star in Dhaka, who is facing over 80 cases of sedition and libel in Bangladeshi courts, and other media persons who are committed to the rule of law and justice.
- Sanjoy Narayan, Editor, The Hindustan Times, New Delhi
- Rajdeep Sardesai, Chief Editor, India Today TV Group, New Delhi
- Siddharth Varadarajan, Founder Editor, The Wire, New Delhi
- TN Ninan, Chairman, Business Standard Pvt Ltd, New Delhi
- James Astill, Political Editor, The Economist
- Maja Daruwala, Director, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, New Delhi
- Sevanti Ninan, editor, The Hoot, New Delhi
- Salil Tripathi, Journalist and Author, London
- Imtiaz Ahmed, Executive Director, RCSS, Colombo
- Mahfuz Anam, Editor, The Daily Star, Dhaka
- Sara Hossein, Lawyer, Bangladesh Supreme Court
- Zafar Sobhan, Editor, Dhaka Tribune
- Afsan Chowdhury, Senior Journalist, Bangladesh
- Dr. Naila Zaman Khan, Professor of Child Neurology and Development, Bangladesh
- Lubna Mariam, Cultural activist, Bangladesh
- Kalpana Sharma, independent journalist, Mumbai
- Sanjib Baruah, Professor of Political Studies, Bard College, New York, US
- Bina D’Costa, Australian National University
- Pradip Phanjoubam, Editor, Imphal Free Press
- Patricia Mukhim, Editor, The Shillong Times
- Seema Mustafa, Editor, The Citizen, New Delhi
- Lalita Panicker, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindustan Times, New Delhi
- Laxmi Murthy, Consulting Editor, Himal Southasian
- Seema Guha, senior journalist (freelance), New Delhi
- Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, The Wire, New Delhi
- Aruni Kashyap, Writer and Asst Professor of English, Ashoka University, Haryana
- Dr. Xonzoi Barbora, TISS, Guwahati
- Dr. Sanjeeb Kakoty, Associate Professor, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Management Shillong
- Dr. Anjuman Ara Begum, Forum-Asia, Katnmandu
- Sanjoy Hazarika, independent columnist, New Delhi
- Geeta Seshu, Journalist, Mumbai
- Beena Sarwar, journalist, Karachi / Cambridge MA
- Nalaka Gunawardene, columnist, Ravaya newspaper, Sri Lanka
- Urvashi Butalia, founder, Zubaan Books, New Delhi
