The government of Nepal has granted amnesty to all religious prisoners in that Hindu kingdom, freeing 29 Christians and dismissing cases against some 140 other believers. Freedom came one week after Nepal’s King Birendra announced the amnesty, which resulted from mounting pressure on the Nepalese government from human-rights agencies, British members of Parliament, and U.S. congressmen, and in the wake of prodemocracy demonstrations in Nepal.
Those released include Nepalese evangelist Charles Mendies, who began serving a six-year sentence in Katmandu’s Central Jail last November (CT, Jan. 15, 1990, p. 56). Mendies was met at the prison gate by a crowd of 300 Christians, who waved a banner reading “Freedom of Religion in Nepal,” and sang Christian songs as they paraded through the streets of the capital city.
Estimates of Nepal’s Christian population range from 3,000 by the government to 50,000 by several Christian organizations. The World Hindu Federation of Nepal claims that about 30,000 Nepalese have converted to Christianity since April, when nationwide strikes and demonstrations forced the king to lift a 29-year ban on opposition political parties. Shortly after, government officials promised greater religious freedom and allowed several Christian meetings to take place openly.
While rejoicing over the release of prisoners, Christian leaders continued to call for guarantees of human rights and religious liberties in Nepal’s new constitution, which government leaders have promised to redraft. Under current law, evangelism and conversion are prohibited. Others also warned that new religious freedom will open the country to proselytizing efforts by various cult groups.
