KATHMANDU, Jan 25: Experts have raised concerns about the misuse of laws in Nepal, particularly the Electronic Transactions Act, and its impact on freedom of expression. They made such remarks during the Digital Rights Summit 2025 organized on Friday by Digital Rights Nepal (DRN), a not for profit organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of digital rights in the country.
According to the organizer, the event focused on the challenges and opportunities in Nepal’s evolving digital environment. A statement issued by the DRN mentions that the event featured the launch of the "State of Digital Rights and Safety in Nepal 2024" report, unveiled by the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, Top Bahadur Magar.
DRN said the report offers a comprehensive analysis of the country’s digital rights situation and sets the foundation for upcoming digital policy discussions.
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“The summit's keynote address, delivered by Zach Lampell, senior legal advisor to the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), emphasized the importance of aligning Nepal’s digital policies with global human rights standards to ensure freedom of expression, privacy, and data protection,” the statement said.
The event also addressed growing concerns over government surveillance, the misuse of laws like the Electronic Transactions Act, and the potential impacts of the Social Media Regulation Bill and the IT and Cybersecurity Bill 2024, which could curtail online freedom, the statement added.
DRN said the event also featured a panel discussion attended by government representatives, MPs, journalists, civil society leaders, and tech sector experts. The panel discussion focused on topics like online freedom of expression, privacy, data protection, internet censorship, online harassment, and existing legal frameworks to safeguard digital rights, the statement added.
“The summit also highlighted the rise in online gender-based violence and the expanding digital divide, particularly in remote regions, advocating for more inclusive and equitable digital policies,” the organizer said.
According to DRN, the summit concluded with a collective commitment to building a safer, more open, and rights-based digital ecosystem in Nepal.
