Deadly Protests Shake Nepal Over Corruption and Social Media Ban
In Nepal, what started as frustration over a government move to restrict social media has spiraled into one of the deadliest waves of unrest the country has seen in decades. At least 19 people have lost their lives, and hundreds more have been injured, after police opened fire on demonstrators in the capital, Kathmandu. The violence erupted as anger boiled over against not only the restrictions on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp, but also against long-standing accusations of corruption and misuse of state power.
The streets of Kathmandu were overtaken by thousands of young people, many of them students, who pushed past barbed wire barricades and clashed with riot police outside the parliament building. Officers, overwhelmed and outnumbered, initially retreated inside the compound before responding with tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and eventually live ammunition. Witnesses described police firing indiscriminately, with several protesters shot in the chest and head. Hospitals were quickly overwhelmed, with doctors warning that many of the injured remain in critical condition.
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The government had imposed a ban on around two dozen social media platforms, arguing that companies had failed to properly register and that the move was necessary to fight fake news and online hate. However, this explanation was met with skepticism. Protesters carried banners and shouted chants of, “Stop corruption, not social media,” seeing the ban as a way to silence dissent rather than protect the public. Rights groups also condemned the decision, calling it an assault on freedom of expression.
The protests, which organizers have dubbed the “movement of Gen Z,” reflect the frustrations of a younger generation that feels sidelined by government corruption, poor economic opportunities, and a lack of accountability. Many of the demonstrators were not only opposing the internet restrictions but also voicing a deeper anger over what they believe is systemic abuse of power by senior political leaders.
The violence forced the government to declare a curfew around sensitive areas, including the prime minister’s residence and the central government district. The army was deployed on the streets to restore order, while Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned amid growing criticism of the government’s handling of the crisis. International organizations, including the United Nations, expressed shock at the use of lethal force against protesters, warning that such actions may amount to serious human rights violations.
In the face of mounting pressure, Nepal’s cabinet eventually announced that the social media ban would be lifted. But by then, the damage had already been done. The protests had spread beyond Kathmandu into other cities, and the deaths of so many young people have left the nation grieving and angry.
For Nepal’s leadership, the events of these past days serve as a stark reminder that attempts to curb speech and tighten control can backfire, particularly when trust in government is already fragile. For the country’s young generation, this uprising may be remembered as their first large-scale stand against corruption and censorship—a moment when they made it clear that their voices cannot be silenced.
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