Nepal's former prime minister KP Sharma Oli has been arrested over his alleged involvement in a deadly crackdown on protests last year. More than 70 people were killed, many of them protesters shot by police, during an uprising in September that was sparked by a social media ban but fueled by simmering anger over corruption and poor economic conditions.
Ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak was also arrested on Saturday, as a panel appointed to investigate the unrest recommended they be prosecuted for criminal negligence. This comes a day after the nation's new prime minister, 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah, was sworn in following an election triggered by the crisis.
They were arrested this morning and the process will move forward according to the law, Kathmandu Valley police spokesman Om Adhikari told newswire Agence France-Presse. Oli, 74, and Lekhak, 62, have not been charged yet.
Oli has previously rejected the commission's findings, claiming they were character assassination and hate politics. His lawyers argued that the detention was unwarranted and improper given there was no risk of him fleeing or avoiding questioning.
New Home Minister Sudan Gurung, a key figure in the protests, welcomed the arrests on social media, stating, No one is above the law... This is not revenge against anyone, just the beginning of justice.
The protests, dubbed the Gen-Z protests, were sparked by a government shutdown of social media sites, with at least 19 individuals, including a school uniform-clad teenager, killed on 8 September. The crackdown incited broader rallies across the nation, resulting in many more deaths and widespread property damage. Families of the deceased have been demanding accountability since the tragedy.
Oli, who resigned amidst the upheaval on 9 September, re-contested in the election held on 5 March, which saw Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party winning decisively, marking the first time in decades that a single party has secured a majority in Nepal.
Ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak was also arrested on Saturday, as a panel appointed to investigate the unrest recommended they be prosecuted for criminal negligence. This comes a day after the nation's new prime minister, 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah, was sworn in following an election triggered by the crisis.
They were arrested this morning and the process will move forward according to the law, Kathmandu Valley police spokesman Om Adhikari told newswire Agence France-Presse. Oli, 74, and Lekhak, 62, have not been charged yet.
Oli has previously rejected the commission's findings, claiming they were character assassination and hate politics. His lawyers argued that the detention was unwarranted and improper given there was no risk of him fleeing or avoiding questioning.
New Home Minister Sudan Gurung, a key figure in the protests, welcomed the arrests on social media, stating, No one is above the law... This is not revenge against anyone, just the beginning of justice.
The protests, dubbed the Gen-Z protests, were sparked by a government shutdown of social media sites, with at least 19 individuals, including a school uniform-clad teenager, killed on 8 September. The crackdown incited broader rallies across the nation, resulting in many more deaths and widespread property damage. Families of the deceased have been demanding accountability since the tragedy.
Oli, who resigned amidst the upheaval on 9 September, re-contested in the election held on 5 March, which saw Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party winning decisively, marking the first time in decades that a single party has secured a majority in Nepal.
