Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition are alarmed by the Government of Nepal’s decision to ban the popular messaging application Telegram. This blanket ban cuts off millions of people from access to a key communication tool, is a gross violation of the right to freedom of expression, access to information, and the right to privacy. The Nepal Telecommunications Authority published a notice on its official website instructing service providers to block Telegram immediately, without any public consultation or transparent legal basis. This echoes Nepal’s prior decision to block TikTok in 2023 and signals a deepening pattern of executive overreach in digital governance.
Restricting access to essential communication platforms is a disproportionate and counterproductive response by the Government of Nepal to tackling societal challenges. Authorities in Nepal must go back to the drawing board to explore concrete solutions in addressing these issues rather than adopting measures that undermine the rights and freedoms of people who rely on these platforms to communicate, express themselves, stay connected to loved ones, and engage in online economic activities.Felicia Anthonio, #KeepItOn Global Campaign Manager at Access Now
Reports suggest the decision to ban Telegram may have been triggered by the platform’s alleged refusal to hand over user data to Nepali authorities. This kind of coercion is in violation of international frameworks that protect people’s right to privacy. There is no clarity on what legal standards justify platform bans or who is accountable for these decisions. In 2019, the Supreme Court of Nepal ruled in the case of Babu Ram Aryal v. Government of Nepal that any restriction on communication must follow due process and meet the tests of legality, necessity, and proportionality — the Telegram ban clearly falls short of this.
It is extremely worrying that the Government of Nepal’s default response when dealing with challenges caused by tech platforms is to hit the block button, banning access to tools used by millions of ordinary individuals to speak, work, and organise. This rushed ban highlights a worrying digital authoritarian trend: the government is undermining democratic processes and violating fundamental human rights by seeking to control people’s avenues of free expression and private communication with impunity.Raman Jit Singh Chima, Asia Pacific Policy Director and Senior International Counsel at Access Now
Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition call on the Government of Nepal to lift the ban on Telegram, make public any orders or directives related to the ban, and engage openly with civil society, legal experts, and affected communities to create a rights-respecting approach to online safety.
Read the statement.