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Ghimire charged with anti-state activities

The Nepal police Friday charged Yubraj Ghimire, editor of the mass-circulated Nepalese daily Kantipur, with anti-state activities including causing disaffection and hatred against the new King Gyanendra and spreading ill-feeling against friendly countries such as India.

In a chargesheet filed before a special court in Kathmandu, police said the publication of an article in Kantipur by underground Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai, for which Ghimire and two officials of the newspaper were arrested, was an irresponsible act done with an eye on increasing the daily's circulation.

Ghimire, who was produced before the court, defended himself saying the publication of the article was within the parameters of the Himalayan Kingdom's Constitution and limits of press freedom practiced worldwide.

Bhattarai's article did not cause any disturbance within the country, Ghimire said.

The article alleged a nexus between India's external intelligence agency RAW, the American CIA and the palace behind the June 1 massacre of the royals.

The three-judge bench, presided over by Justice Mohan Prakash Sitoula, is expected to deliver its verdict later Friday evening after a marathon day-long hearing.

If convicted, Ghimire can face upto three years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 3,000, court registrar K P Sharma told PTI.

The court had, on June 12, remanded Ghimire to three days police custody and had reprimanded the police for not furnishing sufficient documents while seeking remand for 25 days.

A large number of local and foreign journalists, besides senior US diplomats, were present in the Anamnagar court during the hearing. Ghimire, who has been in police custody for 10 days now, looked tired but cheerful. He waved at the journalists from the court window.

Ghimire's arrest has been widely condemned all over the world including India and Nepalese political parties have demanded his immediate release terming the arrest as an attack on the freedom of the press.

Several journalists, carrying black banners protesting against the arrest, stood silently outside the court gates during the court proceedings.

PTI

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