Nepal lifts social media ban after anti-corruption protests leave 19 dead, curfew imposed

KATHMANDU: Nepal lifted a social media ban less than a day after anti-corruption protests that were triggered by the ban led to the deaths of 19 people, a government minister said on Tuesday, while a curfew was imposed in the country’s capital, Kathmandu.

The government had rolled back the social media ban imposed last week, Cabinet spokesperson and Communications and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung said.

The decision came after 19 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the “Gen Z” protests on Monday against widespread corruption. The protests were triggered by the ban.

“We have withdrawn the shutdown of the social media. They are working now,” Gurung told Reuters.

All the apps were available in Nepal on Tuesday morning, Reuters was able to verify. Authorities have also imposed an indefinite curfew within the Kathmandu city area, Kathmandu district administrator Chhabilal Rijal said, a move aimed at stopping any more protests.

“No protests, mass gatherings, meetings, or assemblies of people will be allowed during the curfew,” he said in a notice.

This comes after protesters called for people to participate in condolence meetings in memory of those killed in Monday’s protests.

In neighbouring Lalitpur district, authorities imposed a curfew until midnight (1815 GMT) on Tuesday.

Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli said he was saddened by the incidents of violence due to the “infiltration from different selfish centres”.

The government would pay relief for the families of the dead and provide free treatment for the injured persons, he added.

“An investigation panel will be set up to find out the causes, assess losses and suggest measures within 15 days to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future,” Oli said in a late-night statement on Monday.

Organisers of the protests, which spread to other cities in the Himalayan country, have called them “demonstrations by Gen Z”.

They say the protests reflect young people’s widespread frustration with the government’s perceived lack of action to tackle corruption and boost economic opportunities.

The government last week decided to block access to several social media platforms including Facebook, a decision that fuelled anger among the young.

Officials say the shutdown was for those social media platforms that had failed to register with the government, amid a crackdown on fake IDs, misinformation and hate speech.