CONFIDENTIALITY

Protecting AKUIRA Sources

Our ability to expose corruption depends on people willing to share the truth. This Source Protection Policy explains how you can reach us securely, the legal framework shielding whistleblowers in Nepal, and the measures AKUIRA takes to preserve your anonymity.

1. Our Commitments

  • We do not reveal a source's identity unless expressly authorised or compelled by a court order that has exhausted all appeals.
  • We segregate identifying data from editorial files. Only the investigations editor and one security lead can access raw submissions.
  • Evidence is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+) and stored in offline vaults in accordance with the Privacy Act 2018 and Electronic Transactions Act 2006.

2. Whistleblower Protections in Nepal

The Constitution of Nepal (Articles 17 & 28), the Right to Information Act 2007, and the Good Governance (Management and Operation) Act 2006 recognise the public interest in exposing wrongdoing.

Sharing verified evidence of corruption, maladministration, or threats to public safety with journalists engaged in public interest reporting is generally protected, provided disclosures do not breach national security statutes or ongoing court-issued gag orders.

3. Secure Channels

Choose the method that matches your risk level:

  • Email (PGP): Use our public key (coming soon) to encrypt documents before sending.
  • Signal: secure channel coming soon — messages auto-delete after 24 hours on our side.
  • Physical drop: Request a one-time secure location via encrypted messaging.

4. Operational Security Tips

  • Use a device you control. Avoid employer-owned computers or networks.
  • Connect over VPN or Tor when sending sensitive information online.
  • Strip metadata from documents (PDFs, images, Office files) before uploading.
  • Do not reuse passwords. Enable multi-factor authentication on email accounts.

5. What We Need From You

To verify leads responsibly, please include:

  • Names of individuals or entities involved.
  • Dates, locations, and transaction values (if applicable).
  • Supporting files or pointers where evidence can be validated.
  • How you prefer we contact you for follow-up (if at all).

6. Legal Disclaimer

We cannot provide legal advice. If you face retaliation risks, consult a lawyer. Submissions intended to defame or mislead may be preserved and disclosed to authorities if required by law.