Nepal Probe Panel to Summon Ex‑PM Oli Over Lethal Protest Crackdown

A three‑member commission established by Nepal’s interim government said on Jan. 2, 2026 that it will formally summon former prime minister KP Sharma Oli to record a statement about the use of force by security services during the Gen‑Z protests of Sept. 8–9, 2025. The panel is also preparing to summon the then home minister, Ramesh Lekhak, officials said, as it races to complete its inquiry before a statutory three‑month deadline.

The commission, headed by Gauri Bahadur Karki, a former Special Court chair, was constituted on Sept. 21, 2025 to investigate the deaths and large‑scale destruction linked to the youth‑led demonstrations. Families and campaigners have cited a toll of 76 deaths associated with the protests and pressed for senior political leaders to be questioned before the panel files its report. The commission has operated under intense public scrutiny and a tight timetable that officials acknowledge is now approaching its close.

Chair Gauri Bahadur Karki told reporters at Singha Durbar that the panel is preparing to issue a formal notice summoning Oli to record his statement. The stated purpose is to clarify how and why security forces applied force during the protests that swept Kathmandu and other cities. The panel’s interrogation of top figures who were in power at the time is seen as a crucial test of whether Nepal’s institutions will secure accountability for the most severe civil unrest the country has witnessed in years.

Oli has publicly rejected the commission’s authority to question him. He declared he would refuse to give a statement "even if he were shot." When asked how the commission would respond if Oli did not appear after being summoned, Chair Karki replied, "Tomorrow’s matter will be dealt with tomorrow," signaling neither a threat nor a detailed enforcement plan but an intent to proceed despite anticipated non‑cooperation.

The panel’s work unfolds against a fractious legal backdrop. Then‑Inspector General of Nepal Police Chandra Kuber Khapung has told the Supreme Court that police personnel cannot be subjected to disciplinary action for their conduct during the Gen‑Z movement, a position that complicates prospects for criminal or disciplinary accountability. That contention, together with political resistance from former government leaders, narrows the commission’s room to recommend concrete remedial measures short of judicial proceedings.

Beyond domestic politics, the commission’s handling of senior‑level questioning will carry international resonance. Nepal is party to a range of human rights instruments that oblige transparent inquiries into deaths and alleged excessive use of force. How the country reconciles security concerns, political power struggles, and victims’ demands will influence foreign governments’ assessments and the posture of international rights monitors.

As the deadline looms, families of the slain protesters and campaign groups are likely to intensify pressure for clear findings and actionable recommendations. The commission’s next steps, whether to press for testimony, to invoke legal compulsion, or to document refusals and move on, will determine whether this inquiry strengthens public confidence in accountability mechanisms or deepens polarization at a fraught moment for Nepal’s democratic transition.