At least 17 people have been killed in Nepal after police opened fire during protests against a ban on social media sites.
Websites including Facebook, YouTube and X have been inaccessible in Nepal since Friday. Thousands of young people took to the streets of Kathmandu on Monday in what were billed as "demonstrations of Gen Z".
Demonstrators pushed through barbed wire and tried to storm a restricted area near parliament. Police responded with rubber bullets, tear gas, water cannon and batons.
"Seventeen people have died," Shekhar Khanal, spokesman for the Kathmandu Valley police, told AFP. He said more than 400 people were injured, including dozens of police.
Sirens rang through the city as the injured were taken to hospital. Anger poured out online over the use of force and deaths of young demonstrators.
"I had been there for a peaceful protest but the government used force," said Iman Magar, 20, who was hit in his right arm. "It was not a rubber bullet but a metallic one, and it took away a part of my hand. The doctor says I need to undergo an operation."
The UN called for an investigation. "We are shocked by the killings and injury of protesters in Nepal today," said human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani on Monday.
Amnesty International said live ammunition had been used against protesters in Kathmandu. Similar protests were organised in other districts across the country.
Local authorities imposed a curfew in several key areas of the capital, including the parliament and the President's residence. Some of the demonstrators had climbed over the wall into the parliament premises and its gate was vandalised.
Popular platforms such as Instagram have millions of users in Nepal who rely on them for entertainment, news and business. Young people are also calling for wider political change.
"We were triggered by the social media ban but that is not the only reason we are gathered here," said student Yujan Rajbhandari, 24. "We are protesting against corruption that has been institutionalised in Nepal."
Several corruption cases have been reported in the past few years involving ministers, former ministers and high-profile officials. Since the ban, videos contrasting the struggles of ordinary Nepalis with the children of politicians flaunting luxury goods and expensive holidays have gone viral on TikTok, which is still operating.
The government previously blocked access to the Telegram messaging app in July, citing a rise in online fraud and money laundering.
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