Journalist Amrit Subedi received threatening comments from a province minister in Kaski on July 28. Kaski lies in Gandaki Province of Nepal.

Journalist Subedi is Gandaki bureau chief of www.onlinekhabar.com.

According to FF's representative for the province Rajan Upadhyaya, news about Gandaki Province's Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport Management Minister Rajeev Gurung was published on the news portal on July 27. The news stated that Minister Gurung was found wearing non-formal dress while working in his office.

The online also quoted office employees as saying that Minister bad-mouthed office employees under the influence of alcohol.

Following the news publication and on the day two reporters were attacked while reporting a protest in Kaski, Minister Gurung said that journalist Subedi should have been attacked instead of those two reporters.

In response to Minister's statement, journalist Subedi posted on his social media page X- "After the incident at Prithvi chowk, Minister abuses and threatens journalists. How can we feel safe after such statement of the minister towards journalists in Kaski?"

Freedom Forum condemns the statement of minister towards journalists. Such intimidating statement from a responsible authority is a gross violation of free press and a threat to journalists right to free reporting.

Hence, FF strongly urges the authority to respect constitutionally guaranteed rights of journalists.