KATHMANDU, Feb. 14 -- Media Action Nepal has expressed serious concern over the National Assembly (NA)'s unanimous passage of the 'Media Council Bill-2080 BS' on February 10, without addressing broader civil society concerns.

The government registered the bill on April 18, 2024, aiming to transform Press Council Nepal into the Media Council, a move that poses a grave threat to press freedom and newsroom integrity.

"This Bill grants arbitrary powers to the government to suppress independent media and control journalistic activities," warned Laxman Datt Pant, Executive Director of Media Action Nepal.

The Bill places the Media Council under executive control, violating Nepal's constitutional commitment to press freedom and severely under...