Former Nepal Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki was sworn in as the country’s interim prime minister on Friday. This occurred after deadly crackdowns against anti-corruption protests, which led to the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli alongside other government figures. Karki is known for her independence and staunch stance against corruption, and she is the first woman to lead the country.

Karki was said to be widely supported by participating Nepalis on Discord, a voice and text chat service popularized by video gamers, to meet with the country’s military. After the high-profile resignations of government politicians, including the prime minister and home minister, the country was left without clear leadership. In response, more than 100,000 Nepali citizens have reportedly participated in Discord chatrooms regularly to deliberate on their country’s future across numerous polls and discussions. The country’s military, which has enforced a nationwide curfew, invited protesters to engage in peace talks. Nepal’s army chief subsequently brokered Karki’s appointment as interim prime minister, and some restrictions were temporarily lifted to allow residents to obtain essentials.

The “Gen Z” demonstrations began in the capital of Kathmandu, initially triggered by the government’s decision to restrict unregistered social media platforms. The protests quickly evolved into an outlet for expressing long-felt discontent with government corruption, poor governance, and a lack of opportunities. The government used extensive less-than-lethal force against protesters, but resorted to firing live ammunition in several cases. Clashes with police have led to at least 50 deaths and over 1000 injuries. The government attempted to appease protesters by lifting social media bans after deliberations on Monday, but was unsuccessful.

In the aftermath, crowds set fire to Singha Durbar palace, which houses Nepal’s parliament, and other government buildings. The home of Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, was also burned. Protesters have blamed “opportunists” for the destruction, whom they claim “hijacked” the protests. During the protests, 27 people have been arrested for violence and looting, while over 13,500 detainees escaped from prisons across the country. Firearms were also looted during the uprising, with nearly 100 firearms being recovered by the army so far.

Nepal’s constitution guarantees the “freedom to assemble peaceably and without arms” under Article 17(2)(b), while UN guidelines restrict the use of firearms in cases of unlawful and violent assemblies to cases where “less dangerous means are not practicable,” and demand in such cases to employ firearms to be used “to the minimum extent necessary,” among other requirements.