Shrinking Press Freedom in Nepal: Rising Violence, Restrictions, and State Hostility
As the world celebrated the World Press Freedom Day 2026 on May 3, concerns over shrinking press freedom in Nepal continued to grow amid rising violence against journalists, legal intimidation, censorship, and increasing state hostility toward independent media. According to
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Nepal ranked 87th in 2026 with a score of 54.80. Although the ranking slightly improved from 90th in 2025, the country’s score has steadily declined from 60.52 in 2024 and 55.20 in 2025, indicating a worsening environment for media freedom and journalist safety.
National monitoring organizations also reported sharp increases in press freedom violations.
Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), recorded 139 incidents in 2025 affecting 218 journalists and 31 media houses, nearly triple the incidents reported in 2023 and 2024. Freedom Forum documented 97 incidents between May 2025 to April 2026, while
Media Action Nepal recorded 71 violations involving both state and non-state actors.
The year 2025 saw serious physical attacks, threats, and suspicious deaths of journalists. Journalist Suresh Rajak died from burns while reporting protests in Tinkune, while the death of Ajay Gorkhali raised further concerns about accountability and impunity. During the Gen Z-led protests in September 2025, major media outlets including
Kantipur Media Group,
Annapurna Post,
Nepal Television,
Radio Nepal, and
Thaha Khabar were vandalized, looted, or set on fire, causing damages estimated at nearly NPR 600 million.
Legal and regulatory pressure on journalists also intensified. Authorities increasingly used the Electronic Transaction Act against journalists and online media, while courts issued takedown orders against portals such as
Bizmandu and
Nepal Khabar, raising concerns over censorship and judicial overreach. Controversial proposals such as the Media Council Bill, Social Media Operation and Regulation Bill, and amendments to the Printing Press and Publication Act further threatened freedom of expression, alongside the government’s decision to ban 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, in September 2025.
The newly formed government has also faced criticism for restricting media access and
withholding government advertisements from private media outlets, a move widely viewed as economic pressure against critical journalism. Journalists have reportedly been
denied access to the Prime Minister’s Office, restricted from documenting public-interest areas, and
obstructed by security personnel while reporting. Concerns have additionally emerged over efforts to limit media access to parliamentary committee meetings, weakening transparency and public accountability.
Although
MOCIT Minister Bikram Timsina publicly reaffirmed the government’s commitment to press freedom and democratic values, the growing incidents of violence, censorship, legal harassment, and restrictions on information access reveal a widening gap between official commitments and the reality faced by journalists.
Overall, the trend points to a shrinking democratic space in Nepal. The increasing violence, censorship, economic pressure, and legal intimidation against media threaten transparency, accountability, and citizens’ right to information. As Nepal approaches future elections amid ongoing political instability, ensuring the safety and independence of the press will be critical to protecting democratic governance.
