A Nepal court has sentenced five assailants for torturing Radio Nepal journalist Dekendra Raj Thapa and burying him alive a decade ago, according to LankaWeb.

Thapa, who was based in Dailekh district of western Nepal, was abducted by former Maoist rebels while on his way to discuss community issues with their leaders in 2004.

Nine rebels were accused of murder by the police following a complaint by Thapa’s widow Laxmi Shreshtha and four are still absconding.

The prison terms of convicts, which are up to two years, have been termed as a ray of hope for justice by Nepal’s media fraternity which also called for a stronger punishment.

Earlier, the Federation of Nepali Journalists, Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission, Committee to Protect Journalists and International Press Institute had extended their supports to book Thapa’s killers.