Nepal govt revokes social media ban after Gen-Z protests turn violent; 19 dead | Key points

There were more than the immediate triggers behind the protests led by younger citizens gathered under the umbrella term ‘Gen-Z’

The Nepal government on Monday night announced that it has withdrawn its earlier decision to ban social media sites after violent protests led mostly by young citizens left at least 19 people dead and over 300 others injured.

Riot police use a water cannon on protesters outside Parliament in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (AP)

There were more than the immediate triggers behind the protests led by younger citizens gathered under the umbrella term 'Gen-Z'.

Here are some key points so far about the chaos in Kathmandu and other places in the Himalayan nation:

• Why protests were held in Nepal? Protests erupted after several social media sites, including the most popular ones like Facebook, YouTube and X, were banned in Nepal on Friday. They were among 26 platforms that were blocked for not registering under new rules.
• What happened in clashes during Nepal protests? Police fired bullets and tear gas, and used water cannon and batons, when the demonstrators pushed through barbed wire and tried to storm into a restricted area near parliament. Confirming 17 deaths in Kathmandu alone, police said about 400 people were injured, including over 100 cops. "I was there for a peaceful protest, but the government used force," Iman Magar, 20, who was hit in his right arm, told AFP.
• What has Nepal govt said about protests? PM KP Sharma Oli, who heads a multi-party alliance led by his Communist party, initially stuck to his stance that the new rules are “in the national interest”. After the protests, the country's home minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned at a cabinet meeting on Monday evening.
  
  The government also backtracked on the ban. Nepal's minister for Communication, Information, and Broadcasting, Prithvi Subba Gurung, announced that he has ordered concerned agencies to resume social media sites as per the demands of Gen Z, which spearheaded the massive protest, according to PTI.
• What's the situation in Kathmandu? A curfew remained in palace in several key areas of the capital city, including the parliament, the president's residence and Singha Durbar, which houses the prime minister's office. Some of the demonstrators had climbed over the wall into the parliament premises and its gate was vandalised.
• How have global bodies reacted to Nepal protests? The United Nations demanded a swift and transparent probe. UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani issued a statement: “We have received several deeply worrying allegations of unnecessary or disproportionate use of force by security forces.” Amnesty International also called for an investigation into use of live ammunition.
• What are ‘deeper reasons’ behind Nepal protests? The Gen-Z demonstrations at first appeared to be only about the ban on popular platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, which have millions of users in Nepal. "But that is not the only reason we are gathered here," student Yujan Rajbhandari, 24, told a news agency, "We are protesting against corruption that has been institutionalised in Nepal."
• What do “Nepo Kids” have to do with Nepal protests? Videos contrasting the struggles of ordinary Nepalis with the children of politicians — “Nepo Kids”, a term that comes from ‘nepotism’ — flaunting luxury goods and expensive vacations have gone viral on TikTok, which is still operating. There have also been several corruption cases reported in the last few years.
• Which platforms have registered under new Nepal rules? The government had blocked access to the Telegram messaging app in July, citing a rise in online fraud and money laundering. Then there was a nine-month ban on TikTok until August last year. Viber, WeTalk, Nimbuzz and Poppo Live have also registered since, but others including Facebook have not, a communications ministry official told reporters. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, did not respond.
• Heightened vigil on borders: There was no immediate reaction from the Indian government. Security was stepped up in several districts of Uttar Pradesh that share their borders with Nepal. The Nepalese government has imposed curfew in several regions, including parts of the Terai that borders India, and deployed the army to contain the unrest.