Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Deaths of nineteen protesters lead Nepal to reverse ban on social media apps


(MENAFN) The Nepalese government has lifted restrictions on social media platforms after nationwide protests left 19 people dead and over 400 injured.

The demonstrations, mainly involving young adults in their late teens and early twenties, erupted after authorities blocked major platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and X. These sites were among 26 blocked for failing to comply with new registration rules, which local reports criticized as a form of censorship.

Tensions escalated when protesters breached barbed wire near the parliamentary area, prompting police to respond with live ammunition, tear gas, water cannons, and batons. Seventeen deaths were confirmed in Kathmandu alone, and more than 100 police officers were among the injured. A 20-year-old protester told news outlets, “I joined for a peaceful protest, but the government responded with violence.”

India’s Foreign Ministry expressed concern, urging all parties to resolve issues through dialogue and restraint. The ministry stated it was monitoring the situation closely and expressed sorrow over the “loss of many young lives.”

Following the unrest, Nepal’s home minister resigned during a cabinet meeting, while protesters reportedly set fire to the residence of the information and communication minister. Although the social media ban has been rescinded, rallies continued in Kathmandu on Tuesday, with demonstrators calling for the government’s resignation or dissolution, citing unemployment and corruption as primary grievances.

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