Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) have expressed concerns over the missing Nepali journalist Prakash Singh Thakuri, whose whereabouts remain unknown since he was abducted on July 5.

RSF has appealed to Nepal’s government to determine the fate of a journalist kidnapped a week ago and rescue him if he is still alive.

A never-heard group called the ‘National Republican Army’ had claimed it killed Thakuri, who was picked up from Mahendranagar. However, his death has not been confirmed as his body has not been found yet. He is accused of being supporter of the monarchy.

“Authorities must do everything possible to rescue Thakuri, if there is still time, or otherwise identify and arrest those responsible for his murder,” the French agency RSF said in a statement.

“If his death is confirmed, he would be the first journalist to be killed since the fall of King Gyanendra’s authoritarian regime in April 2006 and the return to democracy,” the RSF further said.

Similarly, CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said, “We are concerned about the safety of Thakuri and call on authorities to pursue all leads in their investigation.”

“If this journalist has been targeted for reporting in support of the monarchy, then the attack on him is also an attack on Nepal’s still fragile press freedom,” he further said.