Nepal made a dramatic U-turn, reversing the social media ban imposed last week after triggering a nationwide “Gen Z” protest last week, allegedly killing at least 19 people.
The ban blocking access to 26 platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X, was imposed following an August 25 directive requiring foreign social media companies to register their businesses in Nepal and appoint local contacts within seven days. The government cut access last week when most platforms were unable to comply with the deadline.
Late on Monday, Nepal’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Sabba Gurung told reporters that the government had revoked its social media ban in response to public outrage.
Monday’s reversal came hours after thousands of people flooded the streets of Nepal, demanding the end of a social media blackout. Local media reports say youth-led protests escalated into violent clashes with security forces in several regions, killing at least 19 demonstrators and wounding more than 100 people.
In a statement late on Monday, Nepal’s KP Prime Minister Sharma Oli said that while the penetration of certain factors made the protest violent, the government never opposed the demands of a new generation.
The Prime Minister resigned soon after more calls were made to do so.
International organizations, including the United Nations and human rights groups, such as Amnesty International, have previously raised concerns about the government’s response to the ban and protests.
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“We ask the authorities to respect and secure the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression,” the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement Monday.
Some platforms, such as Viber, owned by Tiktok and Rakuten Group, were not affected by the ban as the government said it was already complying with the directive and registered locally.
Social media restrictions are part of a broader government effort to regulate digital platforms. Earlier this year, the Nepal government faced widespread outrage over the proposed social media bill, which is still pending approval. The Act includes provisions for imprisonment clauses and fines for posts that are deemed “opposed to national sovereignty or interests.” The proposal “threatens to seriously undermine freedom of the press and digital expression,” the International Federation of Journalists said.
