Nepal lifts social media ban after 19 die in protests, minister says.

Riot police clashed with protesters in Kathmandu. (Reuters: Navesh Chitrakar)

Nepal has lifted a social media ban following protests that resulted in the deaths of 19 people.

Cabinet spokesman and Communications and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung said the government had rolled back the social media ban imposed last week.

The decision came after 19 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the "gen Z" protests on Monday against widespread corruption and the ban.

"We have withdrawn the shutdown of the social media. They are working now," Mr Gurung told Reuters.

Organisers of the protests, which spread from Kathmandu to other cities in the Himalayan country, have called them "demonstrations by gen Z".

They said the protests reflected young people's widespread frustration with the government's perceived lack of action to tackle corruption and boost economic opportunities.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said he was saddened by the incidents of violence due to "infiltration from different selfish centres".

The government would pay relief for the families of the dead and provide free treatment for the injured persons, he added.

"An investigation panel will be set up to find out the causes, assess losses and suggest measures within 15 days to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future," Mr Oli said in a late-night statement on Monday.

Government wanted to block popular platforms

The government last week blocked access to several social media platforms, which angered many of the country's young.

Officials said the shutdown was for those social media platforms that had failed to register with the government, amid a crackdown on fake IDs, misinformation and hate speech.

As the unrest broke out, the government had been trying to pass a law it said was about ensuring social media platforms were responsible.

Critics, however, said it would be used to censor opposition to the government.

• Facebook, X and YouTube were among the platforms that were restricted in Nepal.
• Helmeted police fire teargas launchers.
• TikTok, Viber and three other platforms registered with the government and have continued to operate.
• TikTok was earlier banned for about a year for disrupting "social harmony, goodwill and diffusing indecent materials".

That was lifted after the company said it would comply with laws including a ban of pornographic sites.