Kathmandu
Dozens of journalists marched through Kathmandu on Sunday, voicing anger at the government’s sudden ban on major social media platforms. Holding placards reading “#NoBan”, “Freedom of Expression Is Our Right”, and “Democracy Is Being Hacked”, protesters warned that the move undermines press freedom. The demonstration was led by former office bearers of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Nepal’s largest journalist body.
The government ordered internet providers to block platforms after accusing companies of ignoring directives to register offices in Nepal and pay taxes. The ban came into force just after midnight on September 4, shutting down more than two dozen social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Officials argue the action followed a Cabinet decision and a Supreme Court ruling requiring registration. However, the bill cited for the ban — The Operation, Use, and Regulation of Social Media in Nepal — has not yet passed Parliament.
Critics accuse the government of attempting to silence dissent. “This is not regulation, it is control,” said Ram Hari Karki, FNJ Lalitpur president. “The Constitution guarantees media freedom, but this move goes against its spirit.”
Some platforms like Viber, TikTok and Wetalk are registered locally, while Telegram is in the process. Yet widely used global services remain blocked.
Anger has also spread among young Nepalis. Gen-Z activists have announced a nationwide protest on September 8, urging people to gather in Baneshwor, near Parliament, to demand the ban’s reversal.
Former FNJ president Taranath Dahal said the ban threatens people’s right to communicate: “The people’s voice cannot be silenced.”
