Digital Rights Weekly/ Year 5 Issue 31

Jul 31, 2026

Appeal to Protect Communal Harmony and Stop the Spread of Hate and Disinformation
Digital Rights Nepal (DRN) is deeply concerned by the recent tragic incidents in Kaptanganj, Dewanganj Rural Municipality 3, Sunsari, and the tensions and protests that have subsequently spread across parts of the Tarai. What began as a local dispute has escalated into a serious crisis, resulting in the reported deaths of three people, injuries to more than a dozen others, protests, and rising communal tensions.
At the same time, the situation is being further aggravated by the rapid circulation of misinformation, disinformation, manipulated content, AI-generated images, and hate speech on social media platforms. Several misleading claims have already circulated online. For instance, a video claiming to show protesters setting fire to a police van in Rautahat was found to be old footage from the Gen Z protest of September 9, 2025. Similarly, a widely shared photograph purportedly showing Nepal Army personnel pointing weapons at protesters in Sunsari was found to be AI-generated, despite being presented as a real photograph of the current situation.
False claims have also circulated about the death of a temple priest in Dhanusha. Police clarified that the deceased was not a priest and urged the public not to connect the incident to religious conflict. Such fabricated and manipulated claims can deepen mistrust, provoke anger, and contribute to further violence at a time when tensions are already high.
Press Council Nepal has already taken action against 11 media outlets and social media accounts over content that could disturb communal harmony and incite fear and violence. The Council identified objectionable content and directed its removal, while referring content from unregistered social media accounts to the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau for necessary action.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah has also appealed to the public to maintain communal harmony, unity and restraint, while pledging an impartial investigation and action against those responsible. The Prime Minister’s Office, Nepal Police, civil society organizations, PCN and other stakeholders have similarly called for calm, responsible reporting and protection of religious and social harmony.
In this sensitive period, DRN calls on all to act responsibly. Every post, comment, photo, video, and forwarded message can have real-world consequences. Digital spaces should not become tools for spreading fear, division, or violence.
Digital Rights Nepal urges everyone to reject hate speech, communal stereotyping, rumors, and deliberate misinformation. We remain committed to protecting freedom of expression, access to information, and digital rights, while emphasizing that these rights must be exercised responsibly and with respect for the rights, dignity, and safety of others. Let us choose verification over virality, dialogue over division, and peace over provocation. Together, we can help protect communal harmony and prevent further loss of life and violence.

Advertising Board Warns Against Unapproved Ads
The Advertising Board has warned media outlets not to broadcast audio, visual, or audiovisual advertisements without prior approval. The board has cautioned that ads containing misleading or exaggerated claims, or missing required details such as the advertiser’s name, address, and warnings, must be removed. All previously untested advertisements must also undergo approval.

Nepal’s National Web Portal Down for Over a Month
Nepal’s official national web portal, nepa.gov.np, has remained inaccessible for more than a month after a redesigned beta version was launched in June. The new portal featured a modern interface, AI-powered search, and links to key government services such as passports, National ID, tax, land records, visas, and vehicle services. However, it soon went offline without any official explanation. Authorities, including the Ministry of Communication, Department of Information Technology, and Prime Minister’s Office, have reportedly been unable to clearly identify the agency responsible for operating the portal. The prolonged outage has raised concerns about the reliability and coordination of Nepal’s digital government services.

Supreme Court Restricts Live Broadcast of Court Hearings
The Supreme Court has issued an interim order restricting the live broadcast of court hearings when either party requests confidentiality or when cases require closed proceedings under existing law. The order also bars live broadcasts of cases deemed unsuitable for public transmission by the court or bench. Until clear guidelines are established, the court has further warned against misleading edits, manipulated clips, and deceptive content from court proceedings being circulated on social media or other media platforms.

Journalist Arrested Over Alleged Disclosure of Rape Victim’s Identity
Morang Police have arrested a journalist for publishing a Facebook video that revealed the identities of family members of a rape victim while reporting on the case. Police said the arrest followed a complaint from the victim’s side. The journalist is currently under investigation, with authorities obtaining an extension of the detention period.

NTA Chairman Arrested Over Smart Telecom Asset Auction
Nepal Police’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) former Chairman Bhupendra Bhandari over the alleged illegal auction and undervaluation of Smart Telecom’s assets worth billions of rupees. The CIB is investigating Bhandari’s alleged role in failing to protect government-owned assets and the NTA’s delayed response to the auction. The bureau had previously arrested former Smart Telecom Chairman Sarvesh Joshi and Nepal Investment Mega Bank CEO Jyotiprakash Pandey in connection with the case.

EU Accuses TikTok of Weak Minor Safety Protections
The European Commission has preliminarily found that TikTok may have violated the EU’s Digital Services Act by failing to adequately protect minors’ privacy and safety. The allegation include minors being able to make profiles public, strangers accessing their follower lists, and profile photos being visible to non-users. The Commission warned these gaps could increase risks of cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and unwanted contact, with TikTok facing potential fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.

Opportunities

Opportunity Alert: Epoch Zero – AI Safety Fellowship in Nepal
Epoch Zero, Nepal’s first AI Safety Fellowship, is now accepting applications for its five-week reading and discussion program exploring the risks and opportunities of advanced AI. The fellowship is a great opportunity for those interested in AI governance, technology, policy, digital rights, ethics, and the broader social impact of AI to engage in meaningful discussions and build connections with others working on these issues.
🔗 More details & applications: https://www.aisafetynepal.org/fellowship
🔗 LinkedIn: https: Epoch zero Ai safety fellowship

Digital Rights Weekly is a week-based update on Digital Rights and ICT issues, that happened throughout the week, compiled and analyzed from the digital rights perspective by Digital Rights Nepal (DRN). DRN is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to the protection and promotion of digital rights, including the right to online freedom of expression and association, online privacy, access to information, and related issues such as internet governance, cyber laws/policies, and cyber securities in Nepal.

This publication has been produced with financial support from Norway. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Digital Rights Nepal and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Government of Norway.