ICC Note: Eight Christians have been arrested in Nepal under suspicion of proselytizing after they distributed Bibles to young students. The number of arrested includes one pastor and seven lay people. The accused deny the charge because they claim they were only passing out the Bibles to Christian students who requested them. Hindu nationalists are demanding the maximum penalty in the case.

By Christopher Sharma

7/12/16 Kathmandu, Nepal (AsiaNews) – Seven Protestant Christians and a pastor could be tried for distributing Bibles to school children for the purpose of proselytising. Local sources report that a trial date has not yet been set, but that the court is preparing to charge the suspects.

Police arrested the seven on 8 June for handing out Christian religious material to children at a school in Dolakha, a district in northern Nepal, an area that was particularly affected by last year’s devastating earthquake.

A few days later, on 14 June, the authorities also took into custody Rev Shakti Pakhrin for his ties with the people already under investigation for proselytising.

A few days after their arrest, the eight Christians – who include two teachers and activists working for the association Teach Nepal, which is actively involved in post-quake reconstruction – were released with the obligation to appear in court.

The indictment against them is that of distributing Bibles for the purpose of converting students. Police, said District Police Chief Bel Bahadur Pande, acted after receiving complaints from local politicians and guardians over Bibles being handed out.

The accused are said to have violated Article 26, paragraph 3, of the Constitution of Nepal, which regulates religious freedom and states that “no person shall act or make others act in a manner which is contrary to public health, decency and morality, or [. . .] convert a person of one religion to another religion”.

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