UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a thorough investigation and restraint Tuesday following deadly protests in Nepal that left 20 people dead and forced Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.

"I'm closely following the situation in Nepal and I'm deeply saddened by the loss of life," Guterres wrote on X.

"I urge a thorough investigation, restraint to avoid further escalation of violence and dialogue towards forging a constructive path forward," he said.

He called on the authorities to "comply with human rights law," underscoring that protests "must take place in a peaceful manner, respecting life and property."

He also called for compliance with human rights laws.