At least 13 dead after the protests of young people against the ban on social media in Nepal

At least 13 people were killed and dozens were injured in Nepal after demonstrations against a government prohibition of social media led to clashes between demonstrators and the security forces.

Thousands of people have taken into account a call from demonstrators describing themselves as a generation Z to come together near the Parliament in Kathmandu to prohibit platforms, including Facebook, X and Youtube.

The Minister of Nepal Communication, Prithvi Subba, said that the BBC police had to use the force – which included water cannons, batons and rubber bullets.

The government has said that social media platforms must be regulated to combat news, hatred speeches and online fraud.

But popular platforms such as Instagram have millions of users in Nepal, who rely on them for entertainment, news and business.

The demonstrators transported signs with slogans, including “enough it is quite” and “end to corruption”.

Some said they were protesting against what they called the government’s authoritarian attitude.

While the rally moved to a limited area near the parliament, some demonstrators climbed on the wall.

“L schools gases and water cannons were used after the demonstrators fled in the restricted area,” police spokesman Shekhar Khanal told the AFP news agency.

A spokesperson for the Kathmandu district office said that a curfew had been imposed in areas, including Parliament, after demonstrators had tried to enter.

Last week, the authorities ordered the blocking of 26 social media platforms not to comply with a deadline to register for the Ministry of Nepal Communication and Information Technologies.

Since Friday, users have had difficulty accessing platforms, although some have used VPNs to get around the ban. So far, two platforms have been reactivated after registering with the ministry after the ban.

The government of Nepal argued that it does not prohibit social media, but tries to put them online with Nepalese law.