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September 08, 2025 – Nepal –
Nepal’s government, under Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, has enacted a sweeping ban on 26 major social media and messaging platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, Signal, and Pinterest—after they failed to register under new regulatory requirements mandated by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. Only five platforms, such as TikTok, complied with the rules and remain operational.
In defiance of the restrictions, dozens of journalists and media professionals took to the streets of Kathmandu on September 7, 2025, rallying at Mannighar (Maitighar Mandala). Former office bearers and members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) joined the protest, holding placards declaring messages like “No shutdown of social networks, no silencing of voices,” “Freedom of expression is our right,” and “Democracy hacked, authoritarianism back.”
Before the street demonstrations, the FNJ had issued a formal objection. In a statement signed by General Secretary Ram Prasad Dahal, the Federations—and 22 allied civil society organisations—warned that the bans violate constitutional protections and jeopardise press freedom as well as citizens’ right to information. They stressed that any regulation must align with human rights standards and parliamentary oversight, not be imposed administratively without legal safeguards.
The journalists’ public outcry underscores deep concerns over the erosion of democratic spaces amid growing executive overreach. Their actions make clear that without unimpeded access to digital platforms, journalism itself is imperiled—and so is the public’s right to stay informed and engaged.
With the ban in effect and pressure mounting from press groups, the situation poses a pivotal moment for Nepal’s media landscape, highlighting the clash between regulation and constitutional freedoms.
Reference –
https://kathmandupost.com/national/2025/09/07/journalists-protest-social-media-ban
