Nepal

Nepal Facts

Score:	64/ 100
Region:	Asia
Persecution Type:	Religious nationalism
Persecution Level:	Very High
Population:	29,942,000
Christians:	1,279,000
Main Religion:	Hinduism
Government:	Federal fepublic
Leader:	President Bidhya Devi Bhandari

Profile of Persecution

Violence	42%
Church Life	73%
National Life	72%
Community Life	59%
Family Life	65%
Private Life	74%

Religious nationalism and intense pressure

Most of the persecution of Christians in Nepal comes from Hindu radical groups whose goal is to return Nepal to a Hindu state. Seen as betraying their ancestors’ faith, Christian converts from Hinduism continue to live under intense pressure, including Nepal’s anti-conversion laws. Before the adoption of a new constitution in 2015 that limits freedom of religion, the government didn’t drive persecution. On August 8, 2017, the Nepalese parliament also passed anti-conversion legislation—another sign of a deteriorating situation for Christians.

How Christians are suffering

In Nepal, the situation for Christians is worsening. And the spiritual climate is becoming increasingly tension-filled. The country’s anti-conversion laws are a significant source of persecution for Christians. Anyone, including Christians, can be falsely accused of converting someone.

From time to time, Hindu radicals take advantage of the ongoing political instability by attacking Christians, mostly with impunity. In 2019, Nepal also saw attacks on church buildings, and reports surfaced of Christians being beaten, arrested and sentenced to prison. Christians also had to flee their homes and villages due to threats.

Examples

A 16-year-old Christian prayer center in the city of Gandaki Pradesh was demolished. Church leaders had secured informal permission from local officials before building the center almost 20 years ago. But with no prior notice, authorities suddenly destroyed the six small huts.

A Christian leprosy hospital near Kathmandu was invaded by a hardliner Hindu political party who accused the hospital of proselytizing and converting people to Christianity in exchange for free treatments. During the attack, they openly burned 30 Bibles.

A Christian boy from Dharan was accused of killing a cow. He and two other friends were attempting to remove the dead animal from the river side. Authorities kept the boy in custody and set his bail at the U.S. equivalent of $743.

Population and number of Christian statistics: Johnson T M and Zurlo G A, eds., World Christian Database (Leiden/Boston: Brill, accessed April 2019).

Pray for Nepal

Pray for protection for new believers when members of their own family turn on them, often throwing them out of the family home. Pray for tolerance toward believers.
Believers often find themselves alone in following Jesus in their family which leads them to want to worship in secret. Pray that they will find security in the fellowship of other Christians.
Hindu extremists are gaining influence in the country. Pray for the protection of believers who are arrested just for sharing the gospel. Pray that lawyers will come forward to defend them and, if their cases reach the courts, that they will be dealt with justly.
There is an increase of Christians being accused of proselytizing. And now any Christian who talks Christianity can be falsely accused of trying to convert someone. Pray that our brothers and sisters in Nepal “… stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13).