Mass protests swept Nepal this month after the government moved to block major social media platforms, triggering the country’s most serious political unrest in years.

On 8 September 2025, authorities announced that Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp, and more than 20 other platforms would be banned for failing to register under a new law. The ban immediately provoked demonstrations, largely driven by young Nepalis, which escalated in Kathmandu and spread to other cities.

Clashes between protesters and police soon turned violent. Security forces used tear gas, rubber bullets, and live rounds to disperse crowds. Hospitals reported hundreds of injuries, while the Ministry of Health initially confirmed 19 deaths. Later updates lifted the toll significantly, with dozens killed overall. A curfew was imposed across the Kathmandu Valley, restricting movement along major roads and around government buildings.

The protests, widely described locally as the “Gen Z movement,” saw students and young activists attempt to march on Parliament and other state institutions. Demonstrators accused authorities of suppressing free expression and demanded action against corruption and political nepotism.

Under mounting pressure, the government rescinded the social media ban within a day. Officials also announced that those killed would be declared martyrs, that families would receive one million rupees in compensation, and that the injured would receive free medical treatment.

The political fallout was swift. Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned on 12 September 2025. President Ramchandra Paudel then appointed former chief justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister, making her Nepal’s first woman to hold the post. She pledged to oversee elections scheduled for 5 March 2026.

By mid-September 2025, the government lifted the curfew as calm returned to the capital. Authorities continue to update casualty figures while preparing for the transition to an interim administration.