Journalists in Nepal are increasingly being targeted, threatened, and intimidated while fulfilling their professional duties, media rights organizations say.
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, marked globally on May 3, the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) and Freedom Forum released their annual reports, warning of a deteriorating press freedom environment in the country.
FNJ: 73 Incidents of Press Freedom Violations, Two Journalists Killed
The FNJ, Nepal’s umbrella body of journalists, recorded 73 incidents of press freedom violations between May 4, 2024, and April 30, 2025. Its Media Monitoring Unit reported that 151 journalists and five media outlets were subjected to threats, harassment, or violence during this period.
Read: Deaths, Arson, Vandalism and Looting
“Two journalists were murdered,” said FNJ General Secretary Ram Prasad Dahal, adding that 16 cases of professional insecurity were also recorded.
The slain journalists were Suresh Rajak, a photojournalist with Avenues Television, and Suresh Bhul, a reporter for Sudurpati Online and a Right to Information activist.
Bhul was beaten to death on November 9 in Kailali District. His case remains under investigation. Rajak died on March 28 after being trapped in a burning building during a pro-monarchy protest in Tinkune, Kathmandu. The mob set ablaze the building while he was reporting from inside.
The FNJ has strongly condemned both killings, as well as ongoing attacks on journalists and media institutions. It also denounced the violent assault on journalist Sabina Karki, who sustained eye injuries while covering a teachers’ protest in Kathmandu, and the forced displacement of Dharan-based journalist Gopal Dahal, who reportedly faced threats of physical violence and psychological abuse by Dharan Mayor Harka Sampang.
Freedom Forum: “Press Freedom in Peril”
Freedom Forum, a civil society group advocating for freedom of expression and media rights, released its report titled “ Year of Journalists’ Killings: Press Freedom in Peril” on May 2.
The report outlines several disturbing trends, including a rise in physical attacks on journalists, deepening economic insecurity within the media industry, stalled legislative reforms, increased disinformation and public hostility toward the press, and a deteriorating safety climate, particularly in Kathmandu, now labeled the most dangerous city in Nepal for journalists following the first on-duty killing in over a decade.
Between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025, Freedom Forum recorded 68 incidents of press freedom violations, affecting 88 journalists—77 men and 11 women—and eight media outlets. This marks a rise from the previous year’s tally of 60 incidents, which affected the same number of journalists but only three media organizations.
Freedom Forum has called for urgent structural reforms to protect media freedom, urging the creation of a supportive legal framework, promotion of public tolerance for press scrutiny, and stronger guarantees for journalist safety.
Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF), the global media watchdog, has ranked Nepal 90th among 180 countries in its 2025 World Press Freedom Index —a sharp drop of 16 places from its 74th position in 2024.
(With inputs from RSS)
