At least 19 people were killed and more than 400 were injured in Nepal after youth-led protests against a government social media ban and longstanding corruption turned violent on Monday.
The protests began after the government blocked 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp, on Thursday, September 4.
Officials claimed the move was necessary because the companies had failed to register with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, as required under new rules. The government justified the decision as an attempt to curb fake news, hate speech, and online fraud.
However, the ban quickly sparked widespread anger. Young Nepalis said it silenced them and threatened small businesses that rely on these platforms. The unrest arose amid a viral “Nepo Kids” online campaign that criticized the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children and fueled resentment about corruption and inequality.
On Monday, September 8, thousands of young people, many wearing school and college uniforms, marched toward parliament in Kathmandu. Demonstrators carried placards reading “Enough is enough” and “End to corruption.” Some threw stones and set fire to an ambulance and a police booth. In Damak, protesters hurled objects at Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s private home.
Police responded with water cannons, batons, tear gas, rubber bullets, and in some areas, live ammunition. Hospitals in Kathmandu and the eastern city of Itahari reported 17 deaths in the capital and two more in Itahari. More than 100 security personnel were among the injured.
One protester, Sabana Budathoki, told the BBC: “Rather than the social media ban, I think everyone’s focus is on corruption. We want our country back. We came to stop corruption.”
International organizations condemned the crackdown. The UN human rights office said it was “shocked” by the killings and called for a transparent investigation. Amnesty International said the use of lethal force against unarmed protesters violated international law.
In an emergency meeting late Monday night, the government lifted the ban on social media platforms. Prime Minister Oli said he was “deeply saddened” by the deaths but blamed “infiltration by various vested interest groups” for the violence. He promised an inquiry panel, compensation for families of those killed, and free treatment for the injured.
Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned on Monday evening following criticism of the security forces’ actions. On Tuesday, the ministers for agriculture and water also announced their resignations.
Despite a curfew in central Kathmandu, protests continued on Tuesday, September 9, with demonstrators burning furniture outside the office of the Nepali Congress, the country’s largest political party. In Chandrapur, south of the capital, protesters defied restrictions and set fire to a police vehicle.
Nepal’s largest newspaper, Kantipur Daily, published an editorial on Tuesday calling for Prime Minister Oli to resign, saying he “cannot sit in the PM’s chair for a minute longer” after the bloodshed.
The protests, led largely by Generation Z (ages 13–28), is the deadliest unrest in Nepal in decades. The country, which is home to 30 million people, continues to face high youth unemployment; officially 20.8% in 2024 and relies heavily on remittances, which account for a third of its GDP.
