Nepal’s Communications and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung says the ban is ‘withdrawn’.
Published On 9 Sep 2025
Nepal has lifted a ban on social media platforms following mass protests against systemic issues of corruption and the country’s economic woes, and the killing of 19 people by security forces, a government minister said.
Cabinet spokesman and Minister of Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung said early on Tuesday that the government had rolled back the social media ban imposed last week.
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“We have withdrawn the shutdown of the social media. They are working now,” Gurung told the Reuters news agency.
The ban had blocked 26 media sites, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, in a bid by the government to tackle misinformation, fraud and hate speech.
Dubbed the “Gen Z” protests, due to the predominant participation of young adults and students, thousands gathered in Kathmandu and major cities on Monday to protest against corruption, a dire economic situation and the social media ban.
Events turned deadly in Kathmandu when police fired live rounds and deployed tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannon, and batons as protesters attempted to storm the Parliament complex.
Seventeen protesters were killed in Kathmandu, and two others were killed in a protest in the city of Itahari.
Across Nepal, more than 100 people were injured, with some estimates putting t