What remains after Nepal’s Gen Z protests? Survivors reflect one year later

September 8, 2026

In September 2025, Nepal experienced widespread Gen Z-led protests that initially erupted over government bans on social media but evolved into demonstrations against corruption and political inefficiency. The peaceful protests turned violent when security forces responded with excessive force, resulting in 19 deaths and hundreds of injuries on September 8, 2025. Young protesters like Liza Adhikari and Shantanu Dhakal suffered life-altering injuries from police gunfire, facing ongoing physical, emotional, and financial hardships even a year later.

Who is affected

**Liza Adhikari** (21-year-old university student shot during protests, suffering permanent injury)
**Shantanu Dhakal** (18-year-old student from Morang district shot in the jaw and chest)
**Riya** (police constable injured by stones during the protests)
**19 people who died** during the September 8, 2025 protests
**Hundreds of other injured protesters**
**Gen Z protesters and students** across Nepal
**Shantanu's middle-class farming family** (facing financial burden from medical expenses)
**Liza's family** (implicitly affected by her injury and ongoing care needs)
**Then-Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and other government leaders** (subject to investigation and arrest recommendations)

What action is being taken

**Liza Adhikari is seeking medical treatment in India**, recently undergoing brachial plexus surgery
**Shantanu is preparing to pursue an engineering degree** as a recent high school graduate
**The Government of Nepal is covering much of Shantanu's medical treatment**
**Investigations are ongoing** to determine responsibility and prosecution procedures
**Accountability processes remain politically contested** (though not actively progressing toward prosecution)

Why it matters

The September 2025 protests represent a pivotal moment in Nepal's political history, demonstrating the power of youth-led movements to challenge government corruption and demand accountability. The excessive use of force by security personnel, resulting in deaths and severe injuries of young protesters, highlights critical issues around state violence, human rights violations, and the suppression of democratic expression. The failure to hold government leaders criminally accountable despite investigative commission recommendations reveals the challenges of achieving justice in politically contested environments. The creation of Gen Z Martyrs' Day and the ongoing struggles of survivors like Liza and Shantanu serve as lasting reminders of the personal costs of civic engagement and the fragility of democratic freedoms, while raising questions about whether meaningful reform has actually occurred despite the installation of an interim government.

What's next

*No explicit next steps stated in the article**

Read full article from source: Global Voices