Kathmandu, Aug. 14 -- The arrest of Kishor Shrestha, journalist and editor-in-chief of Jana Aastha weekly on Wednesday, has triggered a sharp debate, with opinions divided over two difficult but closely connected questions: the freedom to publish and the right to personal privacy.

While one side, largely from the media fraternity, argues that criminal charges should not be brought over the subject matter of a news report, the other side, including media consumers and observers, has questioned the nature of the report itself.

Shrestha was taken into custody after a woman filed a complaint alleging an offence against personal privacy.

The arrest has its roots in a Jan Aastha report published on August 5 headlined "Honourable's 'Lip Kiss'...