A victim of Trolling for being an Internet Activist in Nepal

I had never thought  that someday I would be trolled in a way where my work done for awareness would be used in a in significant way of hampering others. During 2015 I made this video about Local ISP susbisu for their bad internet service and it was uploaded in youtube for awareness purpose. The video can be viewed below which is in a pure form of Freedom of Expression(FoE) than any hate of speech.

Recently last week on out of the blues, I started receiving friendship request on facebook and people were putting in questions saying did you made the subisu video. I was surprised to know why people were after my video that too after 2 and half years. The thing that happened was one of the hackers hacked the subisu website and integrated my video there. 

The news went viral and facebook pages trolled my screenshot where people assumed me to be the hacker. I was kind of overwhelmed to the fact that I knew how to handle the situation but it made me feel the vulnerability of how our content and system can be manipulated in desired way.

There is not point of argument about if the hacker  is right or wrong but my concern is my content was for awareness purpose only and to speak up about quality of standard or bad service. I felt abused in many ways of how we upload content and how it gets used in desired ways.








 


  

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CK Raut is not an Activist but he is an Extremist

CK Raut is not an Activist, he is an Extremist 

CK Raut the Madhesi activist has been recently arrested under a sedition case filed by the Nepal government where different Human Rights Organization are lobbying for his freedom. He has been arrested under Section 3 (1) of Crime against State and Punishment Act, 1989.

The Section 3(1) clearly states that If someone causes or attempts to cause any disorder with an intention to jeopardise sovereignty, integrity or national unity of Nepal, he/she shall be liable to life imprisonment. 

Raut since 2011 after his return to Nepal has been writing provoking  books and articles  voicing  independent Madhes and sought separation of the region from Koshi to Mahakali as separate Madhes. In ply of his objective he has organized various rally and gathering for disseminating his ideology. Raut had been subverting the Nepali youth against the country making efforts to convince them saying ‘Madhes cannot fit into Nepal it must be a separate independent nation.’

He had recently held an open discussion programme at the Ramjanaki Temple in Biratnagar under the subject ‘Independent Madhes Nation’. In the programme Raut appealed to the youths to launch an uprising for creating a Madhes nation and for independent rule.

His supporters have been defending his act in the name of  freedom of expression but expressing something is different than convincing and provoking  other towards negative sentiments and hatred.

Mr Raut is  responsible for his action  and looking back to his career it  doesn't suit him. He is awarded with Young Engineer Award, Mahendra Vidya Bhooshan, Kulratna Gold Medal and Prof. F. N. Trofimenkoff Academic Achievement Award among others. For a man of such caliber trying to create hatred among the different group of people disrespecting the sovereignty of the country  is certainly  questions his achievement.

Yes, he has every right to fight for his culture and people but not at the stake of provoking others. His actions are well responsible for his ideology that lobbies the variation hatred and bad sentiment against various group of people and region which is wrong.

To be precise an activist is a person who fights for the right things where as an extremist is a person or individual who provokes other in spreading hatred and discrimination in motivating people towards violence. Mr. Raut has certainly proved to a Extremist than an activist where his actions defies his achievements.    

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No Freedom of expression in Nepal: Criminalization of freedom of expression

Criminalization of freedom of expression is an evolving problem that has been an issue of study and discussion. Especially in  developing countries due to lack proper policies and mechanism law is being misinterpreted in causing  by the government. The question that evolves here is whether the government wants to act like a regulator or facilitator?  Understanding the situation different laws and regulations are created to facilitate the public under various provisions of social welfare. For having clarity in understanding these provisions, these core values are segmented in various international laws.

In-fact, in today's world of globalization when there are no boundaries, any type of un-justice in and against is marked by standardization.  

The Nepal police has confirmed that they will arrest anyone who would be writing against them. In recent practice people have been arrested just for commenting or opining in social media site like facebook.
Under the Interim Constitution of Nepal secures the right of every Nepali citizen to freedom of expression and right to speak.
It is a sad thing, but how the government agencies are using the law to slack normal public instead of fighting criminals.

The article 47 of the Nepal Eletronic Act 2068  says
Publication of illegal materials in electronic form: (1) If any person publishes or displays any material in the electronic media including computer, internet which are prohibited to publish or display by the prevailing law or which may be contrary to the public morality or decent behavior or any types of materials which may spread hate or jealousy against anyone or which may jeopardize the harmonious relations subsisting among the peoples of various castes, tribes and communities shall be liable to the punishment with the fine not exceeding One Hundred Thousand Rupees or with the imprisonment not exceeding five years or with both.
(2) If any person commits an offense referred to in Sub-section (1) time to time he/she shall be liable to the punishment for each time with one and one half percent of the punishment of the previous punishment.

Abed El Rahman was arrested for commenting on a Facebook status and was put under police remand for 20 days. He had commented on a journalist’s facebook post of a story, ‘Improving security in Saptari’. Rahman on May 31 had commented as ‘how he to pay Nrs 50,000(USD 500) to bring back his looted motorcycle.’ He was released on Friday under the order of the Kathmandu District Court against the deposit of Nrs 5 thousand rupees (50 USD). The Saptari Nepal Police arrested Rahman under article 47 of Nepal Electronic Transaction Act 2063 for 5 years imprisonment and Nrs 0.1 Million (1000 USD) fine.

Similarly, in another case, Raju Prasad Sah was arrested for commenting against the current Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam, quoting him, “He should be shot in his back” on a photo that was shared on the official facebook page of the national daily. The Story was covered by a national Daily Naya Patrika that featured the photo of the current Home Minister of Nepal crossing the freeway neglecting public safety rules at a midday on a busy road.

CRUX
The government agencies trying to regulate  voices of people online is certainly not a proactive move. We live in democracy and in a democracy every individual has the right to speak and freedom of expression. Any individual getting arrested just for the sake of his statement that too in a social networking site is not acceptable. Criminalization in freedom of speech is not a scenario of  law, but it's a topic of discussion and research. The rigidity of the government agencies in understanding the law shows the wrong use of power and authority.    

Our Interim Constitution secures the basic rights of every citizen of Nepal, regardless of who he/she is.

EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS THE RIGHT TO SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

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