Nepal Arrests Ex-PM Oli, Ex-Home Minister Over Deadly 2025 Protests
Former PM K.P. Sharma Oli and ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested after a commission linked them to deaths during September 2025 Gen Z protests that killed 76 people.
CBS NewsNepal former prime minister and home minister arrested over September 2025 protest deaths
BBC NewsKP Sharma Oli: Nepal's ex-PM arrested over fatal protest crackdown
ABC NewsNepal police arrest former prime minister and another ex-official over protest deaths
CNNNepal’s former prime minister KP Sharma Oli arrested over deaths during Gen Z protests | CNN
Overview
Police arrested former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak early Saturday over the deaths of dozens during September 2025 protests, Home Minister Sudan Gurung announced on social media.
A commission established by the interim government recommended prosecution, saying Oli and Lekhak should face punishment of up to 10 years in prison for conduct during the protests, according to reports.
Oli was transferred to a hospital for routine tests after his arrest, and his lawyers said detention was unwarranted while supporters began protests in Kathmandu demanding his release.
The unrest in September 2025 killed 76 people and injured more than 2,300, and it helped trigger an election that produced a landslide win for Balendra Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party, sources said.
Police said the two men would be taken to the Kathmandu District Police office and produced before a court on Sunday as the legal process proceeds.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources are largely neutral, presenting alleged wrongdoing, legal responses and denials without loaded rhetoric. They balance official statements (police spokesman Om Adhikari), victims’ demands for accountability, and Oli’s lawyers’ objections, giving factual context (death toll, protests’ causes) and procedural details (hospital admission, commission recommendation).
FAQ
The protests were triggered by the government's ban on 26 social media platforms on September 4, 2025, amid widespread anger over corruption, nepotism, and youth unemployment.
The protests resulted in 76 deaths and over 2,300 injuries, led to the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, the lifting of the social media ban, and triggered elections won by Balendra Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party.
A commission established by the interim government recommended their prosecution for their conduct during the protests, linking them to the deaths of dozens, with potential punishment up to 10 years in prison.
Oli was transferred to a hospital for routine tests after arrest; both Oli and Lekhak are to be produced before a court on Sunday as the legal process proceeds.
