Nepal Arrests Former PM, Officials over Gen Z Protest Deaths
Nepal Arrests Former PM, Officials over Gen Z Protest Deaths
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Nepal police on Saturday arrested former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak at their homes in Bhaktapur in connection with the deaths of protesters during the “Gen Z” uprising in September 2025, JURIST NEWS reported.
The arrests followed urgent warrants issued after the government implemented the findings of a commission led by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki.
The Karki Commission recommended prosecuting Oli, Lekhak, and former police chief Chandra Kuber Khapung under Sections 181 and 182 of Nepal’s Penal Code, covering deaths caused by criminal negligence or reckless acts. The report found that officials failed to act on intelligence that could have prevented the crackdown, which left 77 people dead and caused extensive property damage. Convictions carry three to ten years in prison and fines up to Rs 100,000 ($1,000 USD).
The arrests sparked unrest in Kathmandu, as supporters of Oli’s CPN-UML party clashed with police at Maitighar Mandala. Oli was taken to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for a health check before detention. The Nepali Congress criticized the Karki report as “one-sided” and said it overlooked acts of arson and vandalism during the protests.
The “Gen Z” movement originally protested government corruption and a ban on 26 social media platforms. Security forces were accused of using unlawful lethal force. Government prosecutors will request judicial approval of the urgent arrest warrants on Sunday. If validated, the suspects could be held for up to 25 days for questioning; if rejected, they must be released immediately.
