Journalists in Nepal are continuously facing incidents of attacks, threats and harassments for covering news story and photographs even despite commitments from political actors to respect freedom of press and of expression.

The Unified CPN-Maoist cadres on December 22 attacked a vehicle carrying The Himalayan Times and Annapurna Post dailies at Prayagpokhari, Lalitpur. The van was returning to Kathmandu after circulating the dailies in Kavre district. Contrary to the commitment made earlier to let the vehicles belonging to media houses run smoothly, the irate Maoist cadres vandalised the vehicle for “defying” the three-day bandh called by their party. Van driver Pradeep Lama was injured in the attack. The bonnet and windscreen of the van were damaged. The vandals targetted the van though market representative Prithvi Bahadur Thapa had shown his ID card.

Two journalists- Ramesh Pokharel and Surya Prasad Bhushal- were attacked and left injured by an unidentified group in Arghakhanchi located in the western part of Nepal on Monday night December 21. Journalist duo who were on their way to the office of Radio Deurali for their respective duties were attacked by the group at Shantibagaincha in Sandhikharka. They have received normal injuries, according to Republica, a National Daily.
The scribe duo also said the attackers gave them death threats.
Meanwhile, a group of media persons on December 22 submitted memorandums at the District Administration Office and District Police Office demanding safety for journalists.
Similarly, UCPN (Maoist) cadres physically assaulted Editor of Janaadarsha Weekly Liladhar Bhatta in Dadeldhura in the far-western region of Nepal on December 21, Monday. He was manhandled for defying the bandh call. Bhatta was admitted to District hospital Baitadi.
In yet another incident, cadres of Unified CPN (Maoist) beat up Kavi Raj Karki, a photo journalist in Mugu-the hilly district located in the mid-western part of Nepal-on December 21, Monday. Karki has beaten up while he was taking pictures of Maoist cadres beating on Shanker Karki. The Maoist cadres seized the camera of journalist karki and beat him with stones and sticks.

Prem Chandra Jha, a freelance journalist of Rautahat in the southern plain was issued death threat by Bishal claiming himself to be the central member of Terai Army for disseminating news from a local FM radio.
 
Bishal threatened journalist Jha of taking his life for airing a news report from Rautahat FM that police took bribe and freed two tractors loaded with illegal timbers. He also said that he would take any actions against journalist Jha if he did not refute the news disseminated from the FM. "A person claiming him to be Terai Army central member gave threat to me using a mobile number 9845309882 on December 17 to press me to refute the news".
 
Freedom Forum strongly denounces the incidents and draws the attention of the government and political parties concerned to demonstrate respect to constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of press and of expression and come up with measures to create environment where journalists could freely flow information to people.
The Forum also asked the government to bring the guilty of the incidents to book and provide compensation to the journalists for the loss caused to them.