Kathmandu, Nearly 100 incidents of press freedom violations were recorded in Nepal over the past year, according to a report released on Sunday, as the Himalayan nation marked World Press Freedom Day.
Various programmes were organised countrywide to observe the day.
Freedom Forum Nepal, an organisation working in the field of press freedom, released a report on press freedom violations on the occasion.
It noted that 97 incidents of press freedom violations, affecting 145 media persons and 20 media organisations, were recorded in Nepal between May 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026. This is higher than the 68 incidents of violations registered the year before.
Threats, attacks and obstruction of journalists have been on the rise lately, according to the report, which noted 28 threats and death warnings, 21 attacks, and 18 acts of obstruction reported during the past year.
Besides, eight arson cases, five court cases and four arrests were reported during the review period, it said.
On the occasion, the Federation of Nepali Journalists organised a rally in Maitighar Mandala here on the theme ‘Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development and Safety’.
At the rally, National Human Rights Commission member Manoj Duwadi described press freedom and freedom of expression as vital to human rights.
He added that the NHRC always stands for the protection and promotion of human rights.
Nepal Bar Association Chair Prof. Bijay Prasad Mishra assured of moral support in the legal remedy for any hindrance or obstruction of freedom of expression and press freedom.
“Press freedom and the freedom of expression are constitutional rights, thus not to be hindered,” said FNJ Chair Nirmala Sharma at the rally.
“Journalists have become suspicious of the activities of the Balendra Shah-led government regarding press freedom over the past one month.
One of the strong examples of government interference in media is the government’s latest move of blocking government advertisements to the private media,” she said, adding, “By doing so, the government has attempted to shut down the mouth of media in Nepal.”
However, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Bikram Timilsina said that the government is “fully committed to the freedom of the press and expression as enshrined in the Constitution.”
In his message on the occasion, the minister described a free, impartial and responsible press as a foundational pillar of democracy, highlighting its vital role in ensuring public accountability.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
