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The Delegation of the European Union to Nepal hosted on May 8 an event at Patan Museum in Lalitpur to celebrate Europe Day. Europe Day officially falls on May 9th, and marks the adoption of the Schuman Declaration, which in 1950 laid the foundations of what would later become the European Union. The occasion holds special significance this year as it is 75 years since the signing of the Declaration.

Chief Guest of the event was Vice President of Nepal, Mr. Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav. Other attendees include Mayor Chiri Babu Maharjan of Lalitpur Metropolitan City, ministers and other representatives of the government of Nepal, diplomats including ambassadors of EU Member States, civil society, the private sector, media, as well as youth participants, and various other friends and partners of the European Union. The program featured a presentation on a youth-centered environmental campaign, reflecting the European Union’s commitment to sustainability and youth engagement in Nepal.

In her remarks,  Veronique Lorenzo, Ambassador of the European Union to Nepal, stated: “Nepal is a trusted partner of the European Union. Through our Global Gateway initiative, we support Nepal’s prosperity agenda, working together with EU Member States and European Development Finance Institutions.” The Ambassador said: “As global challenges grow, so does the EU’s determination to remain a reliable, consistent, and principled partner.”The Europe Day celebration underlined shared values and the ongoing collaboration between the European Union and Nepal, EU said in a press statement.

On 2 May 2025, Ambassador Rob Fenn and Mrs Julia Fenn hosted friends from across the UK-Nepal relationship to celebrate the official birthday of His Majesty King Charles III. Nepal’s Vice President, Hon. Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav graced the event.

The event highlighted another year in the UK’s unique relations with Nepal – following soon after the visit of the Duke and Dutchess of Edinburgh in February. It helped to celebrate some of the amazing examples of people-to-people friendship between the two countries, the role of Gurkhas, our business and investment links, education collaboration, and incredible development partnership with Nepal. Ambassador Fenn thanked Nepal and Nepalis for that longstanding friendship which continues to grow.

Nepal government officials, political party leaders, academics, Chevening scholars, development partners, members from diplomatic community, and media attended the event. The King’s Birthday is also marked as a way to celebrate the UK National Day.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Fenn said, “Nepal’s progress is attracting global attention. In London – for example – financiers are starting to talk about Nepal as an attractive destination for investment. They have a sentimental attachment to Nepal, recently refreshed by a spectacular visit to the country by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh – who have been raving about Nepal’s friendliness and beauty ever since.

Nepal witnessed a deeply troubling series of press freedom and freedom of expression violations, with 32 documented incidents affecting 40 journalists, individuals and media houses.

These violations spanned five key areas: killings (2 incidents, 2 killed), arrests (3 incidents, 6 arrested), information blockages (3 incidents, 5 affected), equipment seizures (2 incidents, 3 affected), and threats (22 incidents, 24 threatened), according a report published by Media Action Nepal.  The report was made public on May 2, 2028 in Kathmandu.

The pattern of these violations points to a systemic erosion of journalistic safety and freedom, with journalists and media houses increasingly targeted for performing their constitutionally protected duties, the report said.

Two killings were at the center of this grim period: journalist Suresh Bhul was killed by a violent crowd, and Suresh Rajak was brutally attacked and burnt during a pro-monarchy protest on March 28, 2025. Rajak’s death, in particular, sent shockwaves through Nepal’s media landscape as it highlighted the increasing risks for journalists covering political unrest.

Arrests were carried out in politically sensitive contexts, such as protests involving youth activists and reporters covering cultural issues. Bijay Shah’s arrest for cultural reporting, and two other arrests for contempt of court, illustrate how legal instruments are being used to silence critical voices.

Three well-known media institutions, Kantipur Publications, Annapurna Post, and Samadhan Daily, were also directly targeted, the report says.  This points to an institutional dimension of media suppression where not only individual journalists but also media outlets as a whole are subjected to pressure, often through targeted surveillance, obstruction, or direct attacks, according to the report. Such incidents weaken the role of the press as a watchdog and hinder the operational independence of media house. The report states that government must enact and enforce robust legal protections for journalists. This includes amending the Media Council Bill and the proposed Social Media Bill to remove vague and punitive provisions that curtail freedom of expression. Laws should align with international press freedom and FoE standards, and explicitly guarantee journalists' rights to report without fear of retaliation.

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day 2025, Media Action Nepal has launched its Annual Press Freedom Report titled “From Intimidation to Impunity: Rising Threats against Media in Nepal” on May 2, 2025, amid a public function held in Kathmandu. The report, which comprehensively documents violations of press freedom and freedom of expression (FoE) from May 4, 2024, to May 1, 2025, was jointly released by Laxman Datt Pant, Founder and Executive Director of Media Action Nepal, Dr. Suresh Acharya, Chief Information Commissioner of the National Information Commission, Priyanka Jha, Chairperson of Media Action Nepal and Nirmala Sharma, Chairperson of the Federation of Nepali Journalists.

Speaking at the launch, Media Action Nepal’s Founding Chair and the Executive Director Laxman Datt Pant remarked, “This years’s findings expose a distressing and deepening crisis in Nepal’s media landscape. The report paints a grave picture of escalating threats faced by journalists. These violations not only endanger individual journalists but erode the very foundation of democracy.”

Commenting on the findings of the report, the Editor of Annapurna Express Kamal Dev Bhattarai lauded Media Action Nepal’s continued commitment to press freedom. He emphasized that “organizations like Media Action Nepal serve as a credible watchdog documenting violations and guiding national discourse.” He urged the government and stakeholders to seriously consider the report’s recommendations to safeguard freedom of expression in Nepal.

Annapurna Post, sister publication of The Annapurna Express, marked its 24th anniversary with a celebration at its office in Tinkune, Kathmandu, attended by journalists and staff members from all departments. On the occasion, Annapurna Media Network’s General Manager Manoj Basnet, Annapurna Post Editor-in-Chief Akhanda Bhandari, The Annapurna Express Editor Kamal Dev Bhattarai, Digital Editor Shambhu Kattel, Radio Annapurna Station Manager Shiromani Dawadi, Radio Annapurna News Chief Bhupal Luintel, and HR Head Shiva Basnet, among others, extended their best wishes and shared congratulatory messages.

Two district correspondents—Ratna Acharya from Sunsari and Bharat Khadka from Udayapur—were honored for their outstanding contributions to journalism. Additionally, all employees and Annapurna journalists were awarded medals in recognition of their dedicated service and contributions to the organization.