Nepal witnessed a wave of anti-social media censorship and anti-corruption protests led by young people on Monday, September 8th, resulting in ongoing clashes between civilians and police that have led to at least 19 deaths and over 100 injuries. In response to public outrage, the government announced on the 9th that it would revoke the social media blockade order and impose a curfew in several areas including the capital, Kathmandu.
The Nepalese Cabinet spokesperson and Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, stated that following the 19 deaths in the protest clashes, the government has lifted the social media blockade order implemented last week, confirming that all platforms have resumed operation.
Gurung announced that an indefinite curfew has been imposed in Kathmandu, stating that “during the curfew period, no protests, large gatherings, meetings, or any form of crowds will be allowed.”
Verified reports indicate that all applications in Nepal resumed service on Tuesday morning.
Last week, the Nepalese government decided to block several social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and X, sparking anger among the youth who demanded the repeal of the social media ban and the resolution of corruption issues. Approximately 90% of Nepal’s 30 million population uses the internet.
Organizers of the protests revealed that the demonstrations spread to other Nepalese cities within a day, dubbing it as a “Generation Z protest”. They highlighted that the protests reflect the widespread dissatisfaction among young people with the government’s lack of action in combating corruption and improving economic and employment opportunities.
Earlier on Tuesday, protesters in Sunakothi, Lalitpur, set ablaze Minister Gurung’s private residence. The protesters initially threw stones at the minister’s residence, escalating to arson. The police confirmed that no one was injured in the Minister’s residence, but the incident exemplified the further escalation of the protests.
Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli stated that “infiltration from various self-serving forces” had incited the violent events, expressing his sorrow over the situation. He mentioned that the government would provide assistance to the families of the deceased and free treatment for the injured. Oli also announced the formation of an investigation team to determine the causes of the events, assess the losses, and propose measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring again within 15 days.
Officials in Nepal explained that the social media blockade was enforced because some platforms were not registered with the government. Furthermore, the government is cracking down on hate speech, dissemination of false information, and fraudulent activities using fake accounts on these platforms.
(This article was compiled based on reports from Reuters and The Himalayan Times)