Three journalists, dozens of protestors were injured and 14 protestors reportedly died during the demonstration called upon by the youths of Generation Z in the different places of Nepal. Gen Z called the youths to wage protest against corruption and the government’s recent ban on 26 social media platforms today (September 8).
On September 4, Nepal Government ordered the telecommunication authority to shut down the social media platforms, after they failed to meet the government’s deadline for listing in Nepal. This move has induced dissents across various sectors.
The civil society organizations released joint statements stressing the government to take back this decision, journalists staged a protest on September 7 demanding the authorities to revoke the ban. Today, thousands of youths participated in the protest starting from Maitighar area to New Baneshwor area which has parliament premises. They chanted the slogans- “Say no to CORRUPTION. Say Yes to INTEGRITY”, “Our future is not for SALE”, “Youths against CORRUPTION”, “ENOUGH is ENOUGH”, “Free Speech, Our Right”, “Stop Corruption”, etc.
As the protestors reached New Baneshwor area, they forcefully broke the police barricade to enter the restricted area, Federal Parliament premises. Following this, security forces fired rubber bullets and water cannon at the protestors. More than three dozens of the protestors were injured in the incident. According to the news reports, 14 of the injured protesters died during treatment in the hospital.
Three journalists were also shot by the rubber bullets fired by the security persons. Journalists at Kantipur TV Shyam Shrestha, Nayapatrika’s Dipendra Dhungana and Nepal Press’s Umesh Karki were injured while covering the protest.
Journalist Shrestha was shot in the arm, Dhungana received injuries just below the ear and Karki was also injured in his arm. Shrestha and Karki are undergoing treatment in Civil Service Hospital and Dhungana has been referred to Patan hospital.
For more,
Freedom Forum