Social media ban sparks deadly protests in Nepal

Following the Nepalese government’s ban on social media platforms due to non-registration and concerns about misinformation, large youth-led protests erupted across the capital Kathmandu and other cities on Monday.

The demonstrations are escalating rapidly, with at least 15 people killed and more than 100 injured amid clashes, curfews, and reports of police using tear gas and possibly live ammunition.

UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, described the events as “unlike Nepal,” expressing deep concern for civilian safety and stressing the urgent need to ensure unrestricted medical access for the injured.

UN News’s Anshu Sharma began by asking her to describe the situation on the ground.