©️Prabin Ranabhat/AFP
Kathmandu, September 8, 2025.- Following the announcement of the blocking of several online platforms, Nepal is shaken by a wave of violent protests. This government decision follows a 2023 Supreme Court ruling requiring these platforms to appoint a local representative to regulate their content. The measure has caused anger among young people and users of social networks, disturbing many activities. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), at least 19 people were killed and more than 400 injured.
Last week, the government ordered 26 platforms blocked, including Facebook, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn, for not registering with the authorities. This decision triggered a wave of outrage throughout the country. On Monday, thousands of young people demonstrated in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and in other cities to protest against the blockade and denounce corruption.
The clashes broke out in the vicinity of the parliament, where law enforcement forces violently dispersed the demonstrators using tear gas, water cannons, batons, rubber bullets and, according to witnesses, live bullets. A 20-year-old student attests to being shot and wounded during the clashes, reports the Press.
Requested by the AFP, the police minimized the extent of the violence, claiming that they had used only non-lethal means to repel protesters entering a prohibited area. However, the official assessment reported 17 deaths in Kathmandu and 2 in the Sunsari district in the eastern part of the country, as well as 400 injuries, including about 100 police officers.
At Kathmandu Civil Hospital, three victims died of injuries. A spokesperson for the institution said: « I've never seen such chaos in the hospital. », evoking the presence of tear gas in the premises, which greatly complicated the work of doctors.
W.E.
