Deadly Protests Erupt in Nepal as Police Kill 19; UN Demands Probe into Violent Crackdown

The United Nations has issued a strong condemnation and called for an immediate investigation after at least 19 people were killed and over 200 injured in violent clashes between police and protesters in Nepal. The deadly confrontation on Monday marked a dramatic escalation of a youth-led movement against the government’s recent ban on major social media platforms and against allegations of systemic corruption.

The protest, which has been dubbed the “Gen Z” protest, saw thousands of young people, some in school uniforms, take to the streets of Kathmandu and other cities. They were initially demonstrating against a government ban on more than two dozen platforms, including Facebook, X, and YouTube, which were blocked for failing to register with the government.

However, the demonstrations quickly took on a much larger focus, with protesters holding signs and chanting slogans against what they called rampant corruption and an increasingly authoritarian government. As the crowd surged toward the parliament building, police responded with deadly force, firing tear gas and live rounds into the crowd. A UN human rights office spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani, expressed shock over the killings and urged a “prompt and transparent investigation” into the allegations of disproportionate force by security forces.

In the wake of the violence and the escalating public anger, Nepal’s Home Minister, Ramesh Lekhak, has resigned, and curfews have been imposed in key areas of the capital. The tragic events have put a global spotlight on the political and social tensions in Nepal, highlighting a deep-seated frustration among its youth with a government that many believe is out of touch and unresponsive to their demands for a more transparent and just society.