Twenty-three civil society organizations, legal professionals, journalists, and human rights defenders from Banke have strongly condemned the brutal and inhumane use of excessive force by the government during the Gen Z youth protests in Kathmandu on 8 September. The protests, held against corruption, mismanagement, and the government’s decision to shut down social media, resulted in a large number of deaths and hundreds of injuries among the Gen Z participants.
The appeal states that human rights activists are committed to the rule of law, an independent judiciary, full protection of human rights, freedom of thought and expression, and the right to express opinions through peaceful demonstrations. The cruel and inhumane use of excessive force, without adopting various methods to manage unarmed protests, has violated human rights and mocked democratic values. The appeal emphasizes that such an incident is unacceptable in a democracy and strongly calls on the Prime Minister of Nepal to take responsibility by resigning and ensuring an independent judicial investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The appeal expresses deep condolences to the grieving families of the youths who lost their lives during the protests, praying for the eternal peace of their souls. It urges the Government of Nepal to provide immediate and free medical treatment to all injured protesters and wishes them a speedy recovery.
