Nepal's Government Lifts Social Media Ban Following Deadly Protests

Sat Sep 13 2025 23:26:39 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a dramatic turn of events, the Nepalese government has removed a ban on social media platforms just one day after violent protests erupted in the capital, Kathmandu, resulting in at least 19 fatalities. The protests were sparked by government attempts to regulate social media.

Nepal's government has lifted its ban on major social media platforms including Facebook, X, and YouTube, shortly after violent protests claimed 19 lives in Kathmandu. The unrest was provoked by proposed regulations requiring social media companies to register with the government, which critics have labeled a move toward censorship. Many demonstrators were injured during clashes with police, leading to calls for accountability and freedom of expression.

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepal's government lifted a ban on social media platforms on Tuesday, one day after violent street protests resulted in at least 19 deaths.

Major platforms such as Facebook, X, and YouTube faced a government blockade last week, followed by a massive rally in Kathmandu on Monday, which ended in tragedy when police opened fire on demonstrators protesting the government's efforts to impose stricter regulations on social media.

The violence prompted Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak to resign during an emergency Cabinet meeting called by Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli.

Protesters encircled the Parliament building, expressing outrage at government claims that these platforms had failed to comply with local registration requirements. The proposed regulations have sparked criticism for aiming to censor dissenting voices and punish those who oppose the government.

Officials reported that about two dozen popular social networks had been given notices to register, leading to their recent blockage.

In response to the unrest, the government imposed a curfew around Parliament and critical areas in Kathmandu and other cities, while families awaited news of their injured relatives at local hospitals.

“Stop the ban on social media. Stop corruption, not social media,” chanted the crowds, waving the national flag in a rally described as the protest of Gen Z.

The government’s bill would require social media companies to appoint a local representative, something that rights groups have condemned as a means to limit freedom of expression. In 2023, TikTok was briefly banned in Nepal for disrupting social harmony, only to have its ban lifted after pledging to comply with local laws.