Nepal / Asia

  
On May 21, four plainclothes police officers entered the KMG headquarters in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu and arrested Kailash Sirohiya for alleged citizenship irregularities. (Photo: Courtesy of The Kathmandu Post)

Chair of Nepal’s largest media group arrested after publication of reports alleging fraud

New York, May 23, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday expressed alarm over the arrest of Kailash Sirohiya, chair of the Kantipur Media Group, and called on Nepali authorities not to harass or intimidate the leadership or staff of the country’s largest media group in retaliation for its reporting. On Tuesday, May 21, four…

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Journalist Padam Prasad Pokhrel attacked while covering alleged police assault in Nepal

New York, March 19, 2024—Nepali authorities must swiftly and impartially investigate the attack on journalist Padam Prasad Pokhrel and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On the evening of February 28, up to 15 police officers attacked Pokhrel, editor-in-chief of the news website Pranmancha, while the journalist was filming…

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Police stand guard in Kathmandu, Nepal, on November 25, 2021. (Photo: AFP/Prakash Mathema)

Nepali journalists Aishwarya Kunwar, Puskar Bhatt arrested under cybercrime law

On February 10, police in Kanchanpur district of western Sudurpaschim province arrested Aishwarya Kunwar, a reporter for the privately owned news website Nigarani Khabar, and Puskar Bhatt, a correspondent for the privately owned broadcaster Mountain Television, following their reporting and social media commentary on allegations of police misconduct, according to the local advocacy organizations Media…

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Nepal TV operators refuse to air Indian news channels following critical reports

From July 9 to 13, 2020, at least eight Nepalese cable and satellite operators stopped airing broadcasts from about 20 Indian news channels, following reports perceived to be critical of Nepalese Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, according to news reports. The vice-chair of Nepalese cable company Max TV, Dhruba Sharma, said that on July…

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A Nepalese police officer maintains distance as he detains a man defying the lockdown imposed by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Kathmandu on March 29, 2020. Several journalists have been detained or obstructed while reporting since the lockdown was imposed. (Reuters/Navesh Chitrakar)

Nepali reporters detained, threatened while reporting on COVID-19 pandemic

Police in districts around Nepal briefly detained at least four journalists in relation to coverage of the coronavirus pandemic since the government introduced containment measures on March 23, 2020, while at least six others reported being threatened or attacked by a range of actors seeking to suppress allegations of wrongdoing over the same period, according…

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A man reads a newspaper in Bhaktapur, near Kathmandu, in May 2015. Journalists in Nepal say proposed regulations and pressure from authorities are damaging press freedom. (AFP/Prakash Singh)

Nepal’s hard-fought press freedom at risk amid restrictive bills, government pressure

Last year, when Raju Basnet was covering landgrabs in the Nepali city of Lalitpur, he knew he was playing with fire. His reports in the weekly Khojtalas alleged that powerful people, including government officials, were involved in the scheme and Basnet had already received multiple warnings to back off the story. Despite this, Basnet told…

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The Federal Parliament of Nepal is seen in Kathmandu on September 20, 2015. The body is currently considering measures that could restrict freedom of speech in the country. (Reuters/Navesh Chitrakar)

Nepal government proposes bills that endanger press freedom

May 23, 2019, New York — The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed concern about measures proposed by Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli’s government in the Federal Parliament of Nepal that threaten press freedom, and urged legislators and the government to amend the proposals in accordance with civil society and media recommendations.

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An outdoor newsstand in Kathmandu, Nepal, in September 2018. Police are investigating Tandav News editor Arjun Giri under Nepal's cybercrime act. (AP/Niranjan Shrestha)

Tandav News editor Giri investigated under Nepal’s cybercrime act

New York, April 15, 2019–The Committee to Protect Journalists called on authorities in Nepal to not pursue charges under the country’s cybercrime act against Arjun Giri, the editor of the weekly Tandav News, who was briefly detained today.

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A street vendor waits for customers in Kathmandu, Nepal, on July 18, 2018. A new criminal code came into effect on August 17 in Nepal that threatened press freedom. (Reuters/Navesh Chitrakar)

New Nepali criminal code threatens press freedom

Washington, D.C., August 20, 2018–Nepal’s government must repeal or amend the new criminal code that came into effect on August 17 to remove provisions that severely threaten press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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In Nepal, critical editor flees and journal’s funding is blocked

.@cijnepal founder @kundadixit gives video message: Censorship allows despots to win elections, they coopt journalists. #IJAsia16 pic.twitter.com/Uo558PQX5i— GIJN (@gijn) September 24, 2016 Kunda Dixit cut his once mop-like white hair, grew a beard, and quietly went into hiding, eventually fleeing Nepal for the safety of the U.S. to avoid arrest. And in doing so, the…

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