Gen-Z Activists Protest as Nepal Delays Karki Commission Report Release

Activists linked to Nepal’s Gen-Z movement continue to demand the public release of the report from the Karki Commission, which investigated the September 8–9, 2025, incidents that resulted in multiple deaths, according to reports from Kathmandu. Officials, however, have indicated that the report may only be made public once Nepal’s new government assumes office.

The commission, led by former Justice Gauri Bahadur Karki, submitted its findings on March 8 to the interim government headed by Prime Minister Sushila Karki. The panel was formed on September 21, 2025, to probe the crackdown on the Gen-Z protests, as well as incidents of vandalism and arson that followed. Its deadline was extended several times due to delays, with the final extension granted on February 9, 2026.

The interim government has cited the sensitivity of the findings and national security concerns as reasons for withholding the report. A senior official told IANS that the document is likely to be handed over to the new government, which assumed power following the March 5 elections, very soon. Critics, however, argue that the delay is a tactic to avoid accountability for state actions.

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The elections saw the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) rise to power, with engineer-rapper Balendra Shah projected as the prime ministerial candidate. Shah, who resigned as Kathmandu’s mayor to contest national elections, has been credited with mobilising Gen-Z activists and advocating for transparency and reform. Observers say the new government may play a decisive role in determining the report’s public release.

Protests demanding the report’s release continue at Maitighar Mandala in central Kathmandu. On Monday, demonstrators sat blindfolded, holding placards reading “Error 404: Justice Not Found” and “Where is the full report of the Karki Commission?” Civil society groups, lawyers, and academics have joined the protests, arguing that withholding the report undermines democratic accountability.

The Karki Commission report is viewed as more than a bureaucratic document in Nepal; it represents a test of the state’s willingness to confront its own failures. International human rights organisations have also urged the government to release the findings, warning that continued secrecy could damage Nepal’s democratic credibility. For many, the report has become a rallying point for demands of transparency and justice.

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