Four Christians were released from custody on 29 April after a court hearing in Nepal, six days after they were accused of trying to “lure conversions” to Christianity.
The two Nepali men and one Indian national had been working with a US woman to train local pastors in the Dang district in midwestern Nepal.
The four faced charges under the new "anti-conversion" law, according to a Barnabas Fund source, but were released after the court hearing, in a case victory celebrated by local Christian leaders.
A new law came into force in Nepal in September 2018 that makes it an offence to “involve or encourage in conversion of religion” or “hurt religious sentiment”. While the constitution already prohibits proselytisation, the new law is very vague about what an “attempt” to convert someone might involve and means any public Christian activity is potentially illegal.
From Barnabas Fund contacts