What happened in 2025
In early September 2025, large youth-led demonstrations against government corruption and a sweeping social media ban were met with lethal force in Kathmandu and other cities, with authorities and independent monitors reporting at least 19 people killed initially and later tallies indicating several dozen more deaths and more than a thousand injuries. Amnesty International and other groups condemned the unlawful use of lethal and less-lethal force, documenting cases where protesters breaching restricted zones near parliament were met with water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition. ## Political response
The scale of the crackdown and the subsequent unrest helped force the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and paved the way for an interim government led by former chief justice Sushila Karki, tasked with investigating abuses and preparing fresh elections. That administration outlined plans for commissions to probe security-force conduct and revisit corruption cases seen as politically shielded under the previous government. ## Ongoing concerns
Rights advocates and families of victims continue to call for transparent, time-bound investigations and prosecutions where warranted, warning that partial amnesties or opaque settlements would entrench impunity. The new majority government must decide how far it is willing to push accountability within security institutions and political networks it now depends on, a choice that will shape public trust in Nepal's democratic transition.