Nepal witnessed a deeply troubling series of press freedom and freedom of expression violations, with 32 documented incidents affecting 40 journalists, individuals and media houses.
These violations spanned five key areas: killings (2 incidents, 2 killed), arrests (3 incidents, 6 arrested), information blockages (3 incidents, 5 affected), equipment seizures (2 incidents, 3 affected), and threats (22 incidents, 24 threatened), according a report published by Media Action Nepal. The report was made public on May 2, 2028 in Kathmandu.
The pattern of these violations points to a systemic erosion of journalistic safety and freedom, with journalists and media houses increasingly targeted for performing their constitutionally protected duties, the report said.
Two killings were at the center of this grim period: journalist Suresh Bhul was killed by a violent crowd, and Suresh Rajak was brutally attacked and burnt during a pro-monarchy protest on March 28, 2025. Rajak’s death, in particular, sent shockwaves through Nepal’s media landscape as it highlighted the increasing risks for journalists covering political unrest.
Arrests were carried out in politically sensitive contexts, such as protests involving youth activists and reporters covering cultural issues. Bijay Shah’s arrest for cultural reporting, and two other arrests for contempt of court, illustrate how legal instruments are being used to silence critical voices.
Three well-known media institutions, Kantipur Publications, Annapurna Post, and Samadhan Daily, were also directly targeted, the report says. This points to an institutional dimension of media suppression where not only individual journalists but also media outlets as a whole are subjected to pressure, often through targeted surveillance, obstruction, or direct attacks, according to the report. Such incidents weaken the role of the press as a watchdog and hinder the operational independence of media house. The report states that government must enact and enforce robust legal protections for journalists. This includes amending the Media Council Bill and the proposed Social Media Bill to remove vague and punitive provisions that curtail freedom of expression. Laws should align with international press freedom and FoE standards, and explicitly guarantee journalists' rights to report without fear of retaliation.
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day 2025, Media Action Nepal has launched its Annual Press Freedom Report titled “From Intimidation to Impunity: Rising Threats against Media in Nepal” on May 2, 2025, amid a public function held in Kathmandu. The report, which comprehensively documents violations of press freedom and freedom of expression (FoE) from May 4, 2024, to May 1, 2025, was jointly released by Laxman Datt Pant, Founder and Executive Director of Media Action Nepal, Dr. Suresh Acharya, Chief Information Commissioner of the National Information Commission, Priyanka Jha, Chairperson of Media Action Nepal and Nirmala Sharma, Chairperson of the Federation of Nepali Journalists.
Speaking at the launch, Media Action Nepal’s Founding Chair and the Executive Director Laxman Datt Pant remarked, “This years’s findings expose a distressing and deepening crisis in Nepal’s media landscape. The report paints a grave picture of escalating threats faced by journalists. These violations not only endanger individual journalists but erode the very foundation of democracy.”
Commenting on the findings of the report, the Editor of Annapurna Express Kamal Dev Bhattarai lauded Media Action Nepal’s continued commitment to press freedom. He emphasized that “organizations like Media Action Nepal serve as a credible watchdog documenting violations and guiding national discourse.” He urged the government and stakeholders to seriously consider the report’s recommendations to safeguard freedom of expression in Nepal.
