Threats, attacks drive 101 press freedom violations in Nepal

Nepal experienced 101 incidents of press freedom violations across the country in the last fiscal year, impacting 119 working journalists, according to an annual report from the Press Council Nepal. The period covered mid-July 2025 to mid-July 2026.

The violations encompassed various forms of interference, intimidation, and attacks. Threats against journalists were the most prevalent issue, with the council recording 27 such instances. Other recorded violations included 13 cases of professional insecurity, ten instances of obstruction or seizure of media, and five cases of mistreatment. The report also documented three arrests, three instances of verbal abuse, three cases of policy-related restrictions, and one suspicious death.

Of the 119 journalists affected, 113 were men and six were women. The higher number of affected journalists compared to incidents indicates that some cases involved multiple individuals. The Press Council Nepal stated that it remains committed to monitoring the media landscape and addressing violations under the Press Council Act of 1992, which aims to protect press freedom and maintain professional journalistic standards.

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Threats against journalists accounted for the largest share of violations during the period.