Protests lead to 19 fatalities in Nepal, prompting the government to lift social media ban.
In a dramatic turn of events, the Nepalese government lifted a ban on social media platforms on Tuesday, following a week of intense protests and violent street clashes that left at least 19 people dead and numerous injured.
The week began with the Home Minister, Ramesh Lekhak, resigning at an emergency Cabinet meeting on Monday. The resignation came after the government imposed a ban on social media platforms, including Facebook, X, and YouTube, citing disruptions to "social harmony, goodwill, and the diffusion of indecent materials."
The ban, imposed last week, was met with widespread opposition, particularly from the younger generation. Monday's rally, dubbed the "protest of Gen Z," saw tens of thousands of people gathering around the Parliament building in Kathmandu, waving the red and blue national flags and chanting, "Stop the ban on social media. Stop corruption, not social media."
The protests took a violent turn when police opened fire on demonstrators, resulting in several deaths and injuries. The injured were rushed to the National Trauma Center, where Dr. Badri Risa reported that many appeared to have been shot in the head and chest.
The government's proposed bill, which includes asking social media companies to appoint a liaison office or a point of contact in the country, has been met with criticism from rights groups who view it as an attempt to curb freedom of expression and fundamental rights.
Despite the ban, some social media platforms, including TikTok, Viber, and three others, have managed to register and operate without interruption in Nepal. The government has given notices to about two dozen social networks to register their companies officially in Nepal. Those that failed to register have been blocked since last week.
The government has imposed a curfew around Parliament, the government secretariat, the presidential house, and key parts of the city, as well as in two other cities of Nepal. The curfew comes as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
It is important to note that the specific organizations and detailed reasons for refusing to officially register their enterprises, causing the initial blocking of platforms, are not directly stated in the search results provided.
Neither Google, Meta, nor Elon Musk's X platform responded to requests for comment from The Associated Press.
The ban on TikTok was lifted last year after TikTok's executives pledged to comply with local laws, including a ban on pornographic sites that was passed in 2018. However, the situation in Nepal remains volatile, with families waiting anxiously outside the National Trauma Center for news of their relatives and people lining up to donate blood.
