Nepal crackdowns on foreigners accused of religious conversions

Nepalese authorities arrested four foreigners accused of illegal religious conversions within a week, which religious minority leaders say shows the Hindu-majority nation’s increasing hostility toward minorities.

In the latest case, Department of Immigration (DOI) officials detained US national Daniel Courney allegedly for preaching the Bible in a public place and seeking converts to Christianity in the national capital Kathmandu on Aug. 25.

The DOI officials claimed Courney was detained after a video showed him preaching Christianity in a bus station in Lalitpur district in the Kathmandu Valley.

“During our preliminary investigation, we also found his involvement in running an orphanage and using the children in distributing Bibles, posters, and pamphlets related to Christianity,” Ram Chandra Tiwari, the DOI director general, told UCA News on Aug. 28.

According to him, Courney first came to Nepal in 2019 on a tourist visa and has been visiting Nepal on various visa statuses since then, including student and business visas.

Earlier on Aug. 21, three Indonesian women who visited Nepal since last year on student and tourist visas were arrested in Kathmandu for their alleged involvement in “suspicious activities,” including teaching Quran and Islamic education to nearly 40 young people for religious propagation and community influence operations.

Tiwari said the DOI officials have been keeping an eye on the Indonesians for some time and claimed they have been involved with a shelter for young girls that received millions of dollars in funds from foreign sources.

He said the foreigners face possible deportation and a re-entry ban after the investigation is complete.

Nepal’s immigration law strictly prohibits foreigners from engaging in employment, business, or institutional activities on tourist or student visas.

Offences carry a fine of up to 50,000 rupees (US$356), deportation and travel ban.

The latest arrests of foreigners on charges of conversion are part of a systematic crackdown on religious freedom, says B.P. Khanal, a Christian leader, author, and activist.

“There is a growing fear among the religious minorities who are being increasingly scrutinized for exercising freedom of professing or practicing their own religion among their people,” he told UCA News.

“The surge in Hindu nationalism both in the political and public spheres in recent times has posed a serious threat to religious minorities, especially Christians, who are among the most attacked and persecuted in Nepal,” he added.

Seema Khan, vice-chairperson of Interfaith Peace Federation, Nepal, said that the government is trying to curb religious freedom by closely monitoring the activities of the religious minorities.

“Arresting people for practicing or talking about their religious beliefs in public is a violation of fundamental human rights of any individual,” she told UCA News, referring to the arrest of the Indonesian women.

“It is sad to see the members of Muslim and Christian communities being discriminated against and prosecuted for their religion in a secular state,” she said.

Khan alleged there is a link between Prime Minister K.P. Oli’s visit to India in September and religious repression in Nepal.

“The Nepali leaders want to give a message to India on religious dominance of Hindus in Nepal and how they are acting against the religious minorities,” she said.

Once a Hindu monarchy, Nepal became a secular democracy following the adoption of the 2008 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion. However, forced religious conversion is a criminal offense.

Rights groups have documented the oppression of religious minorities by hardline groups.

Last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a circular to all 77 district administration offices, directing the local government bodies to track the movement of foreign nationals who are allegedly involved in illegal activities, including evangelization and conversion, among other things.

It also asked local bodies to monitor individuals and organizations holding religious conferences and gatherings to promote religion and religious conversions, and take immediate action.

Christian groups had strongly criticized the order, claiming it targets Christians and infringes on their constitutional right to freedom of religion.

In February, 17 US nationals were briefly detained after being accused of attempting religious conversion in the guise of social work. They reportedly left Nepal before further action was taken.

The article appeared in ucanews