ICC Note:

A court in Nepal has dropped proselytizing charges against eight Christians who gave out pamphlets at a school in eastern Nepal. A clause in the new constitution Nepal adopted in 2015 makes it illegal to cause someone to change religions despite the country declaring itself a secular state. The proselytizing charges, leveled in June, were the first since Nepal adopted its new constitution. Many Christians fear this may just be the first charge leveled against their growing community. 

12/11/2016 Nepal (Christian Daily) – Eight Christians in Nepal who were charged with proselytizing because they gave out Christian pamphlets in a school have been acquitted by a court.

n June this year, five staff members of Christian school Teach Nepal and two principals were detained and accused of trying to convert students to Christianity. During that time, they were distributing booklets about Jesus Christ as part of their efforts to help children affected by the 2015 earthquake cope with the trauma, the World Watch Monitor recounts.

The last of the eight Christians arrested is a Pastor Shakti Pakhrin of the Charikot Christian church. The seven other counselors were detained a few days ahead of him.

The incident marks the first case of religious freedom in Nepal since the country implemented its new constitution which outlaws evangelism. Teach Nepal chairman Barnabas Shrestha denied trying to convert the students.

Now, the charges against the eight Christian counselors were dropped by the court. Christian leaders in Nepal applauded the decision.

Meanwhile, a missionary in Nepal said the government had threatened to impose steep fines and shutter Christian orphanages and boarding schools if a Christian pamphlet is found within their premises. The government also prohibited children from praying and attending Bible clubs.

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