Daeths and injuries mark Gen Z protests against government corruption

Demonstrations broke out yesterday in the Nepalese capital following the blocking of social media, which has now been lifted. However, Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli has resigned. The death toll stands at 19, with hundreds injured. Before the internet ban, news reports had circulated accusing local politicians of corruption and nepotism. Young people under 30 who took to the streets also expressed their frustration at the lack of economic opportunities.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets yesterday, Monday 8 September, in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, to protest against the social media blackout imposed by the government in recent days and lifted today. Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli has resigned.

At least 19 people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes between protesters and security forces after a group of demonstrators stormed the parliament building, prompting police to respond with tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd. A curfew with checkpoints was imposed in the most affected areas, including the parliament zone.

The protesters' anger erupted following the closure of 26 social media platforms, including WhatsApp, X, Facebook and YouTube, accused by the government of not complying with local laws against fraud, crime and misinformation.

The authorities justified the measure as necessary to curb fake news and hate speech and to ensure greater security. But for many Nepalese, especially young people under 30 belonging to “Generation Z”, the measure represents an attack on freedom of expression, access to digital spaces and a form of censorship.

In fact, in the weeks leading up to the ban, a campaign called ‘nepo kid’ was launched on social media, highlighting the lavish lifestyles of the children of politicians accused of nepotism and corruption. A government minister said the ban was lifted after an emergency meeting held late yesterday evening to ‘respond to the demands of Generation Z’.

The demonstrations, which quickly spread to the south and west of the country, were largely attended by young people born between 1995 and 2010. “Stop corruption, not social media” and “Young people against corruption” were some of the slogans chanted by protesters, expressing growing frustration with the government, which is accused of being corrupt and failing to offer economic opportunities to the younger generation.

The clashes led to the immediate resignation of Home Secretary Ramesh Lekhah, who had been in office since July 2024 and who reportedly left his post for “moral” reasons after the protests claimed victims, as reported in the evening by the Kathmandu Post.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called for a “prompt and transparent investigation” into the events and urged the government to back down on the social media blockade.

“We have received numerous and worrying reports of unnecessary or disproportionate use of force by the police during the protests. We call on the authorities to respect and guarantee the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression,” said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office.

This is not the first time Nepal has taken strong action against digital platforms: in 2023, the government banned TikTok, accusing it of undermining ‘social harmony’ and spreading ‘indecent’ content. The ban was lifted the following year after the platform's executives pledged to comply with local laws, including the ban on pornographic sites.