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Nepal Lifts Social Media Ban After Deadly Protests in Kathmandu

The reversal follows deadly clashes over a law requiring foreign platforms to appoint local representatives.

Overview

  • Communications Minister Prithvi Subba announced early Tuesday that the government revoked the order blocking 26 sites, and services such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube were restored.
  • Reporting from Il Post cites 19 people killed nationwide in Monday’s unrest, including 17 in Kathmandu, with more than 150 injured, while other outlets reported higher tolls.
  • Interior Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned, taking moral responsibility for the deaths linked to the police response to the demonstrations.
  • The government imposed curfews around key government buildings and the presidential residence as tensions persisted in the capital.
  • The original shutdown targeted platforms that had not registered with the Communications Ministry under a new law, a move protesters—many identifying as Gen Z—denounced as a curb on free expression.