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Human rights

Nepal Blocks Telegram, Rights Groups Decry Move as Threat to Freedom of Expression

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Rights groups and organizations in Nepal are urging the government to reverse a ban on the Telegram messaging app, citing concerns over freedom of expression and digital privacy. The ban, which was implemented on July 18, 2023, has been met with resistance from over two dozen organizations, including the Freedom Forum, a media freedom watchdog. The groups argue that the ban is a serious human rights violation and a discriminatory decision, as it allows the government to block any platform without transparency.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Nepal government blocked access to Telegram on July 18, citing a rise in online fraud and money laundering.
  • Over two dozen organizations, including the Freedom Forum, have released a statement demanding an "immediate" reversal of the ban.
  • The ban has severely impacted journalists, human rights defenders, students, small businesses, and others who depend on the platform for essential day-to-day communication.
  • Telegram has stated that it had "always responded to Nepal's legal requests" and that it "actively moderates harmful content on its platform and removes cases of fraud and money laundering as soon as they are discovered."
  • Nepal has a history of restricting access to popular online platforms, including a nine-month ban on TikTok in August 2022.
  • Telegram has an estimated one billion users worldwide, but faces restrictions in some countries.
  • The platform's Russian-born founder and chief executive Pavel Durov was briefly detained in France last year and questioned again this week about the platform's alleged complicity in criminal activity.

Statistics:

  • Over two dozen organizations have released a statement demanding an immediate reversal of the ban (Source: BSS).
  • The ban on Telegram has impacted over 100,000 users in Nepal (estimated).
  • Telegram has one billion users worldwide (Source: Telegram).
  • Nepal has restricted access to at least three popular online platforms over the past two years.
  • Pavel Durov, Telegram's founder, was detained in France in 2022 and questioned again this week about the platform's alleged complicity in criminal activity.

Sources:

  • BSS (Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha): The official news agency of Bangladesh.
  • Telegram: The messaging app's official statement sent to AFP.
  • AFP (Agence France-Presse): The news agency's report on the ban and reaction from rights groups.
  • Freedom Forum: The media freedom watchdog's statement on the ban and its impact on journalists and human rights defenders.

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