Police arrested 87 journalists as they gathered Friday to protest media restrictions in Nepal while thousands of pro-democracy activists demonstrated elsewhere in the city to demand an end to absolute royal rule. About 200 of those protesters were also arrested.

The arrests came amid an often-violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests in the capital and underscored rising tensions in the Himalayan kingdom, which is beset by a long-running communist insurgency.

Police arrested the journalists as they prepared to hold a rally to demand the lifting of restrictions on the press and freedom for some half-dozen reporters jailed for critical writings against the government. The restrictions were imposed by the royal government after Gyanendra took over absolute power earlier this year.

"We were gathering for a peaceful rally, but the government used the police to break it up," Bishnu Nisthuri, president of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, a press-rights umbrella group, told The Associated Press by telephone from a Katmandu detention center. Nisthuri was among those arrested, but his cell phone was not confiscated.

The journalists had planned to hold their rally at Ratna Park, an area in the center of Katmandu where protests and rallies have been banned by the government.

Police arrested the journalists when they showed up. There were no reports of violence or scuffling.

Media rights groups demanded the detained journalists be freed.
"We condemn the attack on a peaceful protest. We demand the government immediately release the journalists and stop restrictions on the media," said Rishi Dhamala of Reporters Club Nepal.

Since King Gyanendra seized absolute power Feb. 1, many streets near the palace complex and the main government offices in other parts of Katmandu have become restricted areas where demonstrations are not allowed.

Officials at the Home Ministry, which has authority over the police and civil administration, could not be reached for comment. Police officials at the scene said they had orders not to allow any protests in the restricted area.

Journalists have been holding protests to pressure the government to restore press freedoms and end harassment and arrests by government security forces.

Since Gyanendra's seizure of power, criticism of the king, the government and security forces has been banned, along with any independent reporting on the country's communist insurgency.

Journalists must get all of their information on security issues from the army or police.

Dozens of reporters have been arrested since the king took power, and six are believed to still be behind bars.

The other protest, which wasn't connected to the journalists' rally, was organized by Nepal's seven major political parties to demand the restoration of democracy.

About 5,000 protesters chanted anti-government slogans in the rally. Police fired a few rounds of tear gas at the crowd, but there were no reports of demonstrators being beaten.

Pro-democracy protesters have held daily rallies in Katmandu over the past week. Hundreds have been arrested at each protest. Until the past few days, demonstrators were often beaten by police.

The seven major political parties have vowed to continue their protests until the king gives up power and restores democracy.

The monarch said he was compelled to assume power to quell a communist insurgency, which has claimed more than 11,500 lives in nine years, and to end government corruption.