Gen Z-led protests against a social media ban and government corruption in Nepal have triggered the escape of over 1,500 prisoners from at least seven jails, from Kathmandu to Pokhara, overwhelming security forces.

The army has now imposed a nationwide curfew and prohibitory orders today Wednesday, September 10, 2025, to stem the unrest, which has claimed at least 22 lives and threatens further instability in the Himalayan nation.

The jailbreaks intensified on Tuesday, September 9, following Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s resignation amid escalating demonstrations that began over a September 4 ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, X, YouTube, and WhatsApp, for failing to register with authorities.

In Pokhara, approximately 900 inmates fled after protesters stormed the local jail, forcing police to retreat, while in Kathmandu’s Nakhu Jail, fires set by demonstrators enabled hundreds more to escape. Further breakouts were reported in Kaski (773 escapes) and Dang’s Tulsipur Jail (127), with officials cautioning that the total number of incidents may be higher as reports emerge from other regions.

The protests, driven by Nepal’s youth—aged 13 to 28 and dubbed the "Gen Z movement"—initially targeted the social media restrictions but have since expanded to address systemic corruption, youth unemployment above 20%, economic inequality, and elite nepotism in a country where remittances account for over 30% of GDP.

Despite the government lifting the ban on September 8, demonstrators have torched parliament, the Supreme Court, government offices like Singha Durbar, and politicians’ homes, defying curfews with slogans like “Enough is enough” and “End to corruption.” Security forces’ response has drawn global concern, with 19 to 22 deaths reported since Monday, September 8, from clashes involving tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons, and live ammunition in cities including Kathmandu, Pokhara, Biratnagar, Bharatpur, and Itahari.

Over 347 injuries have been documented, with protesters transporting the wounded on motorcycles to strained hospitals. The UN has offered aid and urged investigations into excessive force, echoed by rights groups like OHCHR. Nepal’s army chief, in a televised address, called for peace as troops were deployed from 10 p.m. Tuesday, with Kathmandu’s airport shuttered, stranding travelers. Oli’s resignation on September 9, following the home minister’s exit over protest deaths, has not calmed the unrest, with attacks on political figures and vandalism of the Nepali Congress office continuing.

The turmoil has disrupted India-Nepal border trade and prompted Indian travel advisories. With curfews in Kathmandu, Rupandehi, and Pokhara, and the army in control, Nepal faces its worst crisis in decades. The unrest, in a nation of 30 million where 90% are online, underscores a clash between a digital-savvy generation and entrenched elites, with global observers bracing for further violence as calls for accountability grow.