Dozens of people were injured in Nepal on Monday as the authorities used rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse a demonstration against corruption and a government decision to restrict social media.
Protesters, most of whom appeared to be teenagers and young adults, briefly surged toward the Parliament complex, occupying a security building before being dispersed by the police, witnesses said. The authorities later imposed a curfew beginning at 12:30 p.m. local time for the area around the complex in the capital, Kathmandu.
At least 40 protesters were injured, according to a police spokesman, Binod Ghimire. Two journalists were among the injured, local news media reported.
The protest was in response to the government’s ban on dozens of social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and WeChat. Officials implemented the ban on Thursday after saying that the platforms had failed to comply with new requirements to register with the government.
Free speech is highly prized in Nepal, which has enjoyed robust space for debate as democratic freedoms have shrunk in other South Asian countries, and critics of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli have accused him of trying to curtail freedom of expression.
In November 2023, Nepal banned TikTok, saying the app had affected “social harmony.” TikTok agreed to register with the government, and nine months later the ban was lifted. TikTok remains available in Nepal, as it complied with the government’s new regulations on social media.
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