"Countless journalists have been arrested, harassed and detained by the authorities since February," the WAN Board said in a resolution issued at the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum, the global meetings of the world’s press. "Censorship and financial pressure have been imposed on independent media outlets, creating conditions where journalists are no longer capable of carrying out their work."

The resolution said:

"The Board of the World Association of Newspapers, meeting at the 58th World Newspaper Congress in Seoul, Korea, from 29 May to 1 June 2005, calls for an end to all harassment and censorship of the media in Nepal and the re-establishment of civil and political rights.

"After the declaration of a state of emergency on 1 February 2005 by King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, the Nepalese media have faced an onslaught of pressure and terror.

"King Gyanendra took control of state television and radio, placed the country’s political leaders under house arrest and dispatched security personnel to the editorial rooms of newspapers to censor news items and articles. Telephone lines across the country were cut, severely limiting fax and internet connections, and mobile phone services were blocked.

"Local authorities suspended over thirty newspapers. Most of them were allowed to resume publishing after some time, but with very strict limitations. Over 1,000 radio journalists lost their work. Scores of journalists were assaulted or harassed by police while covering demonstrations against the royal proclamation throughout Nepal.

"Countless journalists have been arrested, harassed and detained by the authorities since February. Censorship and financial pressure have been imposed on independent media outlets, creating conditions where journalists are no longer capable of carrying out their work.

"One journalist is known to have died. Khagendra Shrestha, editor of Dharan Today, a local newspaper based in eastern Nepal, was shot by unidentified assailants on 15 March and died two weeks later of his injuries.

King Gyanendra lifted the state of emergency on 29 April, but since then has made no move to allow the media to resume operations as normal. Several journalists are still under arrest. At least two cases of violations against journalists were registered in the week following the end of the state of emergency. On 7 May, the Nepalese Minister for Education and Sports, Radhakrishna Mainali, announced that the government is preparing a new regulation to permanently ban all news content relating to politics on FM stations.

"The Board of WAN calls on King Gyanendra to immediately restore all civil and political rights and to put an end to the harassment, intimidation and censorship of the media in Nepal. Independent, unrestricted media are the first and necessary step in the return to a functioning democratic system."

The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom world-wide. It represents 18,000 newspapers; its membership includes 72 national newspaper associations, individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, 11 news agencies and nine regional and world-wide press groups.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 7 rue Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile in Korea (until 2 June): +82 11 9679 9721. E-mail: lkilman@wan.asso.fr.