Nepal launches cyber task force to curb hateful posts against flood victims
Nepal's Cyber Bureau has assembled a ten-member team to trace social-media users posting hateful comments about victims of the recent Bhotekoshi floods, after Prime Minister Balendra Shah warned of strict action.
Following the August 26 Bhotekoshi floods, relatives posted pleas on social platforms to locate missing loved ones, but were met with hostile and demeaning comments. Prime Minister Balendra Shah condemned the harassment on Facebook, calling it criminal and promising strict enforcement. Nepal's Cyber Bureau responded by forming a ten-member team to identify and locate users responsible for the abusive posts.
Police Superintendent Dilip Kumar Giri explained that investigators are compiling profiles, addresses and telephone numbers, and can pursue legal action even without a formal complaint. The bureau has already arrested Birendra Madai of Baitadi for remarks that could inflame ethnic tensions. Under Section 47 of the Electronic Transactions Act, offenders face fines up to Rs100,000, up to five years in prison, or both. Sociologist Meena Poudel noted the backlash reflects a broader tendency of power-proximate groups to target vulnerable populations, especially women and residents of remote areas.
