2005 Nepal coup d'état

A coup d'état in Nepal began on 1 February, when democratically elected members of the country's ruling party, the Nepali Congress were deposed by Gyanendra, King of Nepal. The parliament was reinstated in 2006, when the king agreed to give up absolute power following the 2006 revolution. The coup was condemned by India, France the United Kingdom, and the United States.

2005 Nepal coup d'état
Part of Nepalese Civil War
Date 1 February 2005 Location Kathmandu, Nepal Result Royal coup d'état successful Parliament of Nepal dismissed
Belligerents
Kingdom of Nepal	Parliament of Nepal
Commanders and leaders
Gyanendra	Sher Bahadur Deuba

Background

The Nepalese Government was previously ruled as an absolute monarchy following the 1960 Nepal coup d'état led by King Mahendra until it became a constitutional monarchy in 1991 during King Birendra's reign.^[1] King Gyanendra came into power after the Nepalese royal massacre where ten members of the royal family, including King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya, and Crown Prince Dipendra were killed.^[1] King Gyanendra had previously dismissed three governments from 2002.^[2] The Nepalese Civil War led by Maoists was still raging on with over 11,000 people dead.^[2] Nepal had no parliament from 2002.^[3] Gyanendra's popularity had fallen down.^[1]

Unfolding of the coup

On 1 February when King Gyanendra declared a state of emergency and dissolved the parliament of Nepal.^[3][4][5] The members of parliament were put under house arrest, "key constitutional rights were suspended, soldiers enforced complete censorship, and communications were cut".^[2][6]

The coup was condemned by India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.^[2] The king's rule lasted for over a year, until 24 April 2006, when the king agreed to give up absolute power and to reinstate the dissolved House of Representatives, following the Loktantra Andolan.^[7][8]

References

1. "Unrest as Nepal crowns new king". the Guardian. 4 June 2001. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
2. "Nepal's Royal Coup: Making a Bad Situation Worse". Crisis Group. 9 February 2005. Archived from the original on 13 July 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
3. Ramesh, Randeep (2 February 2005). "King of Nepal seizes power". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
4. "The Coup in Nepal". The New York Times. 19 February 2005. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
5. "Nepal's king declares emergency". 1 February 2005. Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
6. "Nepal: Time for King to Relinquish Power". Human Rights Watch. 1 January 2006. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
7. Sengupta, Somini (25 April 2006). "In a Retreat, Nepal's King Says He Will Reinstate Parliament". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
8. "Full text: King Gyanendra's speech". BBC. 24 April 2006. Archived from the original on 22 December 2006. Retrieved 29 October 2012.

Further reading

• Hutt, Michael (2005). "King Gyanendra's Coup and its Implications for Nepal's Future". The Brown Journal of World Affairs. 12 (1): 111–123. ISSN 1080-0786.