KATHMANDU: The Nepalese government has lifted a controversial social media ban following massive anti-corruption protests that erupted across the country, leaving 19 people dead and over 100 injured.
The ban, which blocked access to major platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, was imposed last week after tech companies failed to comply with a new regulation requiring them to register with Nepal’s government and submit to official oversight.
The protests, led primarily by Gen Z activists, escalated into one of the most violent demonstrations in the country’s recent history.
Communications and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung confirmed the decision to restore access to social media on Tuesday morning, less than 24 hours after the protests reached a deadly peak.
“We have withdrawn the shutdown of the social media. They are working now,” Gurung told Reuters.
The protests, dubbed the “Gen Z Movement,” saw tens of thousands take to the streets of Kathmandu on Monday, demanding an end to government corruption and the restoration of free access to the internet. Demonstrators chanted slogans such as “Stop the ban on social media. Stop corruption, not social media,” while waving Nepalese flags and surrounding the Parliament building, which generally refers to people born between 1995 and 2010.
The protest turned violent after security forces opened fire on demonstrators in an attempt to disperse the crowds, resulting in 19 deaths. More than 100 were injured in the clashes, according to local health officials.
In response to the unrest, authorities have imposed an indefinite curfew in Kathmandu and two other cities, with schools closed and heavy police presence deployed throughout the capital.
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Despite the government’s concession to lift the ban, tensions remain high, and further protests are anticipated as the youth-led movement continues to call for greater transparency and accountability from public officials.
