Bhutan journalists' body says there's no free press

In a damaging report, the Journalists' Association of Bhutan (JAB) has claimed that there is no freedom of the press in the Himalyan kingdom.

According to Kuensel, in the report, at least 50 journalists have expressed their concern and worry over the lack of a free press, which the nation's constitution guarantees.

The report claims that eight years ago, when the country was preparing to transit from a monarchy to democracy, the media was thought to be the vital element to guarantee its success, but nothing changed.

The JAB said that it expects its maiden study to "serve as a basis for policy interventions and strategic direction from the agencies and authorities concerned to enable the media to play its role and contribute to the growth of our democratic society."

It said that Bhutan has eleven newspapers, plus radio and television, and there is no reason why these institutions cannot play a more active role in the country's policies and march towards democracy.

The JAB study called for building a strong, healthy, responsible and responsive press to ensure the success of democracy in Bhutan.