Protesters In Nepal Push To Lift Social Media Ban
- 9.09.2025, 8:29
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the country.
Nepal's government, led by a communist prime minister, has backed down in the face of protesters and lifted a ban on all social media. At least 19 people were killed in Monday's protests, the BBC writes.
The Nepali press reported, citing Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, that the decision to lift the ban was made Monday evening "in response to the demands of Generation Z."
AFP's correspondent in Nepal reports that access to all social networks in the country has been restored.
This access was closed in recent days after the Supreme Court ordered the government to block 26 social media networks popular worldwide and in Nepal unless they register with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology within seven days and agree to content monitoring. None of the most popular networks were willing to register.
The authorities explained their decision regarding social media by the need to fight fakes, hate speech and online fraud.
The government of Nepal was formed by a coalition of major political forces: the Communist (United Marxist-Leninist) Party and the social-democratic Nepali Congress with the participation of two other parties. Both Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung are communists, as are seven other of the 22 members of the government.
On Monday, thousands of protesters took to the streets, including the parliament building in Kathmandu, to express outrage at the authorities' decision to ban platforms such as Facebook, X and YouTube in the country, as well as general dissatisfaction with the authorities.
Police used water cannons, batons and rubber bullets.
Since Friday, users have found it difficult to access the platforms, although some are using VPNs to circumvent the ban.
Free access to the internet and social media is crucial for Nepal's tourism industry, which makes up a large chunk of the country's revenue.
Millions of people use social media in Nepal, with Instagram considered the most popular platform. Users say they need social media not only for entertainment or news consumption, but also for business.
Demonstrators carried placards with slogans such as "Enough!" and "End Corruption!".
Many protesters said they came out against the authoritarian methods of their country's authorities. They said the government is mired in corruption and is failing to fulfill its promises to solve the country's economic problems.
One of the protesters, Sabana Budatoki, said the social media ban was the last straw, the reason for the large-scale action, but not the only reason.
"I think the focus is not the social media ban per se, but the overall corruption," she explained. - "We want to take back our country - we're here to stop corruption."
Another protester said that the social media ban was intended to "silence them," so people came to make their voices heard against lawlessness, and they will continue to do so until change comes.
The demonstration reportedly began quietly enough, with people only chanting their demands, but later the protesters became more active.
Some climbed over the fence of the parliament building and tried to get inside, others suddenly had smoke bombs in their hands.
In comments to the AFP news agency, Kathmandu police spokesman Shekhar Khanal said police moved into action after protesters broke into the restricted area.
He said tear gas and water cannons were used against the demonstrators. He also reported 17 dead in the capital. Two more people were killed in the eastern city of Itahari after a curfew was declared there, local police said.
Ranjana Nepal, an employee at a Kathmandu hospital where many injured people were admitted, said tear gas had also entered the hospital building and made it very difficult for doctors to work.
"I have never seen such an alarming situation in the hospital," she told AFP.
A spokesman for Kathmandu's district administration said a curfew had been imposed in some areas of the capital, particularly outside the parliament building.
Nepal Army spokesman Rajaram Basnet said a small unit of soldiers had been brought onto the streets after the curfew was imposed.