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May 06, 2025 – Nepal –
Nepal’s media landscape is facing a dire crisis as journalists become casualties in the nation’s escalating political unrest. The deaths of photojournalist Suresh Rajak and reporter Suresh Bhul have underscored the increasing dangers faced by media professionals in the country.
On March 28, 2025, during a pro-monarchy protest in Kathmandu’s Tinkune area, 29-year-old Suresh Rajak, a cameraman for Avenues Television, was tragically killed. He was found dead inside a building set ablaze by demonstrators. The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has called for a high-level investigation into his death, citing unanswered questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the absence of his camera and damage to his mobile phone. The FNJ suspects that Rajak may have been targeted for his close documentation of the protests.
In a separate incident, journalist Suresh Bhul, the joint secretary of the National Dalit Journalists Association, was brutally attacked on November 10, 2024, in Kailali district. He succumbed to his injuries the following day. The FNJ has condemned the killing and demanded a thorough investigation. Preliminary reports suggest that Bhul’s murder was a targeted act, possibly linked to his reporting on public institutions.
These incidents are part of a disturbing trend in Nepal, where press freedom violations have been on the rise. In 2024, the FNJ recorded 60 incidents affecting 34 female journalists, 113 male journalists, and 13 media organizations. The increasing hostility towards journalists, particularly those covering sensitive political events, has raised concerns about the safety and freedom of the press in the country.
The FNJ and other media advocacy groups are urging the Nepalese government to take immediate action to protect journalists and uphold press freedom. They emphasize that a free and safe press is essential for a functioning democracy and that the targeting of journalists must not be tolerated.
Reference –
https://rsf.org/en/nepal-investigations-deaths-journalists-suresh-rajak-and-suresh-bhul-are-stalling
