On the first anniversary of the king\'s seizure of power, international media freedom groups have condemned what they say is a year of repression of Nepal\'s media.

The International Mission for Press Freedom and Free Expression in Nepal which visited Nepal last year on a monitoring mission said it will conduct a follow-up mission to Nepal in March.

Nepal\'s journalists have been confronted with an autocratic regime for the past 365 days. During this period, the independent press has lost most of the legal and constitutional protection it had acquired since 1990, more than a thousand journalists have lost their jobs and the government-induced economic pressure has increased on many media companies, the mission said in a statement.

Over the last few weeks, the Government has arrested more than 100 political leaders, civil society activists and journalists, imposed a curfew, restricted communications and placed a ban on demonstrations within Kathmandu, themission added. Media censorship has increased, including an embargo on Indian newspapers and TV channels.

The International Mission is particularly alarmed by recent reports of a draft Broadcasting Authority Ordinance which has not yet been made public by the Government, the mission added. The creation of a regulatory authority is positive in principle, but it said it is concerned by the composition of this proposed body and the excessive increase in the fee for a radio station licence, which would seriously hamper independent and community radio stations.

The mission said it applauded the extraordinary mobilisation of the country\'s journalists and media community. It has enabled them on the streets and in the courts to win back some of the rights that were taken away by the Government. The mission includes ARTICLE 19, Committee to Protect Journalists, FreeVoice, International Federation of Journalists, International Media Support, International Press Institute Press Institute of India, Reporters Without Borders, SAFMA, UNESCO, AMARC, World Association of Newspapers and World Press Freedom Committee.