Journalists in Nepal take to streets against social media ban, call for nationwide protest

Kathmandu [Nepal] September 7 : Scores of Nepali journalists took to the streets against the social media ban in the capital Kathmandu imposed by the government since last week. The Gen-Z has also called for a nationwide protest on Monday against the same cause.

The protest was called by the former office bearers and members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, the umbrella organisation of journalists in Nepal.

The participating journalists carried placards with slogans reading "#NoBan," "Freedom of Expression Is Our Right," "The People's Voice Cannot Be Silenced," and "Democracy Is Being Hacked, Dictatorship Is Coming Back," among others.

The government claims that the companies' social media platforms are not following their administrative order and the registration provision according to those directives. The government issued the order to the Nepal Telecommunication Authority, which later issued an order to all the ISPs (internet service providers) to ban the major social media platforms. We are here to protest against this government order," Taranath Dahal, the former president of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, told ANI.

Rage is slowly increasing in Nepal against the government's decision to shut down over two dozen social media platforms, which it claims is an effort to tax the revenue they generate in the country, and to control content critical of the government.

Following the order from the government, social media sites have gone dark past midnight on September 4.

The government says it took the action after repeated warnings to the platforms to open offices in Nepal, a Cabinet decision last month setting a deadline, as well as a 17 August Supreme Court ruling that also required them to register and pay the requisite taxes.

However, the Bill cited in the ban, 'The Operation, Use, and Regulation of Social Media in Nepal' has not yet been passed by Parliament. Some social media platforms, which were already paying taxes in Nepal even though they are not officially registered, have also been blocked.

"The incumbent government is attempting to control social media; it is not a regulation but an attempt to take complete control. The Constitution of Nepal-2072 has ensured absolute media freedom and freedom of expression, but the latest move of the government is against the essence of the constitution and its provisions," Ram Hari Karki, the President of Federation of Nepali Journalists, Lalitpur branch, told ANI.

Currently, platforms such as Viber, TikTok, Wetalk and Nimbuzz are registered in Nepal, while Telegram and Global Diary are in the process. Widely used platforms like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp have yet to initiate registration.

Social media users calling themselves "Gen-Z" have also called for a nationwide protest on September 8 against the ban imposed by the government on social media. Social media leaflets and posts have called for people to come to Baneshwor, near the federal parliament in the capital, to pressure the government to step back from its decision to shut down the social media platforms.

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