Nepal Death Toll Climbs To 72 Amid Anti-Corruption Protests Fueled By Social Media Ban
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# Nepal Death Toll Climbs To 72 Amid Anti-Corruption Protests Fueled By Social Media Ban
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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent, Worthy News
KATHMANDU (Worthy News) – A government ban on major social media platforms that enraged young Nepalis has spiraled into the country’s deadliest political violence in decades, with authorities saying Sunday that at least 72 people have been killed and hundreds more injured during protests reflecting years of frustration over corruption, inequality, and “curbs on freedoms.”
In early September 2025, the government blocked access to Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and other social media platforms, citing “national security.” The move triggered mass demonstrations led by Generation Z, who rely heavily on social media for communication, activism, and entertainment.
Yet the protests quickly evolved beyond digital freedoms. Demonstrators accused political elites of enriching themselves while ordinary people struggled with poverty, unemployment, and poor services, fueling long-standing anger over corruption and nepotism.
Many young Nepalis said they had grown disillusioned with a political system that has seen more than a dozen prime ministers since 2008 and has little accountability.
Rising prices and widening inequality added to the frustration, as did wider restrictions on freedoms. Protesters noted that beyond the social media ban, Nepal’s “anti-conversion” law has been used against Christians, even as laws against reconversion to Hinduism are rarely enforced.
**VIOLENCE ESCALATES**
Initially peaceful demonstrations turned violent when crowds stormed and set fire to government offices, Parliament, the Supreme Court, and even the Prime