Nepal Protests: 34 Dead in Violent Unrest Over Corruption and Social Media Ban; Curfew Extended as Tensions Ease

Protesters celebrate as government ministries and offices are set on fire during a protest in Kathmandu, 9 September, 2025 AP Photo/Prakash Timalsina

Kathmandu, Nepal – September 11, 2025: Nepal's capital and major cities remained under an extended indefinite curfew on Thursday as the death toll from Gen Z-led protests against government corruption and a now-lifted social media ban climbed to 34, according to health officials and human rights monitors. While the intensity of clashes has subsided following Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's resignation earlier this week, security forces maintained a heavy presence, and protesters vowed to continue demanding systemic reforms amid widespread property damage and economic disruption.

The unrest, which erupted on September 8, was initially sparked by the government's abrupt ban on 26 social media platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter)—enforced last week for non-compliance with registration deadlines. Officials cited the need to combat fake news, hate speech, and online fraud, but critics decried it as an authoritarian move to silence a burgeoning "nepo kid" campaign exposing the lavish lifestyles and alleged embezzlement by politicians' children. With youth unemployment at 20.8% in 2024 per World Bank data, frustration boiled over into mass demonstrations, drawing tens of thousands of students and young adults who stormed Parliament in Kathmandu and set fire to government buildings, including the Supreme Court and Singha Durbar complex.

Clashes escalated rapidly as police deployed tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and live ammunition to disperse crowds, leading to the first wave of fatalities. By Monday evening, 19 people were confirmed dead—mostly young protesters—and over 347 injured, overwhelming hospitals like the Civil Service Hospital, where security forces raided wards searching for demonstrators. Two additional deaths occurred in the eastern city of Itahari after curfew announcements, with reports of protesters burning tires to block roads and attacking politicians' homes. The Nepal Army was mobilized on Tuesday, deploying troops to Kathmandu for the first time in decades to enforce order, as the international airport shuttered amid zero visibility from smoke and chaos.

In a bid to de-escalate, the government reversed the social media ban late Monday after an emergency cabinet meeting, with Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung announcing, "We have withdrawn the shutdown... to address the demands of Gen Z." Yet the concession failed to quell the fury. Protesters, many waving placards reading "Enough is enough" and "Youths against corruption," defied curfews to torch the federal Parliament building and residences of top leaders, including the president's home. The violence prompted Oli's resignation on Tuesday—his fifth term as premier since 2015—along with four cabinet ministers, including three from the coalition Nepali Congress party. "The government has to take responsibility for the lives that were lost," said a protester in Kathmandu, echoing sentiments from organizers like the NGO Hami Nepal, which mobilized via VPNs to bypass initial internet curbs.

As of Thursday, the curfew—initially imposed in Kathmandu's New Baneshwor and Singha Durbar areas from 12:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time—has been extended indefinitely across cities including Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Butwal, Pokhara, Itahari, and Damak, barring gatherings near government sites. Schools remain closed, and a football friendly with Bangladesh was canceled. The UN Human Rights Office condemned the "excessive use of force," calling for an independent probe, while India's Ministry of External Affairs expressed condolences and urged citizens to follow safety guidelines amid border alerts.

Eyewitness accounts paint a picture of raw defiance. "We were triggered by the social media ban, but that's not the only reason," said Yujan Rajbhandari, a 24-year-old student protester. "We are protesting against corruption that has been institutionalized in Nepal." Social media, now restored, buzzed with support from Nepali artists and global observers, with some protesters adopting symbols like the Straw Hat Pirates' Jolly Roger flag from One Piece, mirroring youth movements in Indonesia. Analyst Rameshwore Khanal, a former finance secretary, noted the unrest stems from "unhappiness with government appointments and its inability to stamp out corruption," exacerbated by economic stagnation and frequent leadership changes since the 2008 abolition of the monarchy.

The protests, dubbed "Gen Z demonstrations," have drawn parallels to uprisings in Sri Lanka (2022) and Bangladesh (2024), where youth-led fury toppled regimes. With over 13.5 million Facebook users in Nepal relying on platforms for news, business, and activism, the ban symbolized broader grievances over inequality and unaddressed scandals, like a 2024 inquiry revealing $10.4 million lost in a botched infrastructure deal. As an uneasy calm settles, advocates like Sahil Singh, a 29-year-old cybersecurity entrepreneur, warn Oli's exit "is unlikely to placate protesters" without deeper accountability.

Nepal's fragile economy, dependent on tourism and remittances, faces mounting strain from flight diversions and business shutdowns. International calls for dialogue grow louder, but with troops patrolling streets and raids ongoing, the path to stability remains fraught. For now, the extension of the curfew underscores that while the storm has eased, the winds of change in Nepal show no sign of abating.