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KATHMANDU, June 13: Media Action Nepal (MAN) has strongly condemned what it called a growing pattern of intimidation against Nepal's independent press, highlighting a recent incident in which Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba threatened Nepal Republic Media (NRM) Director Shova Gyawali over a news coverage.
Speaking to Media Action Nepal, Gyawali disclosed that Minister Rana issued direct threats during a phone call made via the WhatsApp account of her personal secretary, Kamal Rawal, at approximately 1:50 PM on June 12. The call reportedly came in response to a news article published in Republica and Nagarik, both of which are run under the umbrella of NRM.
"In the four-minute call, Minister Rana repeatedly issued threats, vowing to bring down Nepal Republic Media and its management simply for publishing content that a responsible daily would normally cover," Gyawali said. "She went as far as threatening to disrupt the partnership between Republica and The New York Times by contacting the international news outlet directly."
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Gyawali also revealed that this was not the first instance of pressure from Minister Rana. "Earlier, I had faced similar pressure over our coverage of her UK visit. But this time, the verbal abuse and intimidation crossed the line," she said.
Following the incident, NRM held an emergency editorial and management board meeting to address the minister's actions.
Calling the threat a serious misuse of authority, Media Action Nepal's Executive Director Laxman Datt Pant said, "This blatant misuse of power to suppress independent media is a direct attack on press freedom." Pant urged the government to take immediate action to hold those responsible accountable.
"It is deeply troubling that instead of protecting democratic values, the Foreign Minister has chosen to intimidate the media and threaten consequences for publishing stories in the public interest," Pant added.
The incident comes amid rising concerns over press freedom in Nepal. On the same day—June 12—journalist Narayan Aryal, a colleague of senior journalist Dil Bhusan Pathak, faced intense police surveillance and harassment. Aryal was reportedly followed throughout the day by security personnel. The Kathmandu District Court recently issued an arrest warrant against Pathak in connection with a report implicating Jaiveer Singh Deuba-the son of former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Foreign Minister Rana-in a controversial hotel share transaction.
Media Action Nepal has expressed solidarity with NRM and all journalists facing threats or harassment. The organization has called on the Government of Nepal to take immediate action to protect press freedom, repeal regressive provisions in the Electronic Transactions Act often used to target journalists, and create a safe and enabling environment for independent media to operate.
