At least 14 people were reportedly dead as protestors in Nepal clashed with the police over the government’s ban on several social media platforms.
The government has deployed the army to enforce law and order in areas of Kathmandu affected by ongoing protests, a government spokesperson confirmed on Monday.
Thousands from Generation Z – those currently in their teens and 20s – protested the government’s ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and X, leading to violent clashes that left at least 14 dead and over 100 injured, according to The Kathmandu Post.
The protests began in Kathmandu and spread nationwide, prompting curfews in key areas and a heavy police crackdown using rubber bullets and teargas, local media reported.
Protesters marched through Kathmandu carrying the national flag and placards bearing slogans like “Shut down corruption, not social media”, “Unban social media”, and “Youths against corruption”.
The government has accused some social media users of making fake accounts to spread hate speech, circulate false information, and engage in fraud and other illicit activities.
Reports about casualties have been conflicting: state-run Nepal Television cited one fatality and over 50 injuries, while local news outlets claimed at least six people had died. Later, the toll was revised to eight dead. The local media reported that by 4.00pm local time, 14 people were killed.
Ekram Giri, a spokesperson for Nepal’s parliament, stated that some protesters managed to enter the parliamentary grounds but did not reach the main building. Police pushed them back, and they are now gathered on the road outside.
“We have imposed a curfew which will remain in force until 10.00pm local time to bring the situation under control after protestors began to turn violent,” Muktiram Rijal, a spokesperson for the Kathmandu district office, told Reuters.
Police had orders to use water cannons, batons and rubber bullets to control the crowd, Mr Rijal said.
Protests against Nepal’s social media ban spread to cities including Biratnagar, Bharatpur, and Pokhara, with thousands of youths, many in school uniforms, marching in Kathmandu.
Photos and videos from the site of protests show clashes erupting as protesters throw projectiles and topple police barricades, while authorities use tear gas and riot gear.
The protests snowballed into demonstrations against government corruption. “We were triggered by the social media ban, but that is not the only reason we are gathered here,” Yujan Rajbhandari, a 24-year-old student, was quoted as saying by AFP. “We are protesting against corruption that has been institutionalised in Nepal.”
Ikshama Tumrok, a 20-year-old student, said she was protesting against the government’s “authoritarian attitude”.
“We want to see change. Others have endured this, but it has to end with our generation,” she told the outlet.
What is social media ban?
Nepal’s government has blocked 26 major social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn, after they failed to meet new registration rules requiring a local representative and a license.
The ban, effective since last Thursday, disrupted communication across the country, especially affecting families with relatives working abroad and raising fears over press freedom and the tourism sector.
“We requested them to enlist with us five times. What to do when they don’t listen to us?” said Gajendra Kumar Thakur, a spokesman for the ministry of communication and information technology.
Critics argue that prime minister K P Sharma Oli has long sought to control speech in Nepal but was previously checked by protests, including from his own party.
A temporary TikTok ban in 2023, lifted after the app registered with the government, set a precedent.
Mr Oli is now leveraging a recent Supreme Court directive requiring media platforms to register and be accountable for false content to enforce broader control over social media.
“Nepal’s sweeping ban on social media sets a dangerous precedent for press freedom,” Beh Lih Yi, the regional director for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement.
“The government must immediately rescind this order and restore access to social media platforms, which are essential tools for exercising press freedom.”
About 90 per cent of Nepal’s 30 million population are internet users.
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