(FILES) Former Nepali Prime Minister and Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, greets his supporters during the 11th General Convention of the party in Kathmandu on December 16, 2025. Tough-talking Nepali leader Oli spent decades in communist politics and served as prime minister four times before he was ousted in 2025 by deadly youth protests. Oli, leader of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), hopes to regain control of parliament in the March 5, 2026 elections. (Photo by Prakash MATHEMA / AFP)
A commission in Nepal has recommended the prosecution of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli over his alleged role in the deadly September 2025 uprising that led to his removal from office.
According to a leaked report cited by AFP, the commission urged authorities to investigate and prosecute Oli, describing him as the “then executive head” during the crisis in which at least 77 people were killed.
The protests, which erupted on September 8 and 9, were initially triggered by a brief social media ban but quickly escalated into nationwide unrest fueled by economic hardship and anti-corruption sentiments.
The report also recommended investigations into former interior minister Ramesh Lekhak and ex-police chief Chandra Kuber Khapung, citing failures in maintaining law and order.
It noted that although no direct order to open fire was established, authorities “did not appear to have made any effort… to prevent further human casualties,” adding that “no effort was made to stop or control the firing,” which resulted in deaths, including minors.
Findings showed that most victims died from gunshot wounds, with many struck in the chest or head, based on 48 out of 63 completed autopsies.
The unrest culminated in the ouster of Oli and the installation of former chief justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister, who subsequently set up the investigative commission.
The panel, which reportedly questioned over 200 individuals and compiled a 900-page report alongside extensive evidence, submitted its findings earlier this month, though the official version is yet to be released.
The political crisis paved the way for a dramatic electoral shift, with rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah leading the Rastriya Swatantra Party to a landslide victory in the March 5 elections, securing a commanding majority in parliament.
Shah, popularly known as Balen, is expected to be sworn in as prime minister following the inauguration of newly elected lawmakers, marking a significant transition in Nepal’s political landscape.
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