17 Americans and 1 Indian national arrested in Dharan:
Volunteering in church construction punishable crime?
February 9-
17 Americans and 1 Indian national have been arrested on charges of religious propaganda. They were arrested on charges of religious propaganda under the guise of labor donations while coming on tourist visas. The individuals reportedly entered Nepal on tourist visas. They were volunteering to construct a building for the Prerana Kalyankari Society in Dharan, Sunsari. However, it was allegedly only a cover to convert locals to Christianity. Their passports have been seized by the authorities, and the Immigration Department of Nepal is assessing legal action, which includes the possibility of deportation.
Police said that they were arrested after they preached religion while coming on labor donations to build a building for the Prerna Kalyankari Samaj at Deurali Saugat Chowk, Dharan Sub-metropolitan City-5, Sunsari. The District Administration Office, Sunsari, has handed them over to the Immigration Department for further investigation.
According to the Sunsari administration, American citizens Ryan Matthew Carter, Silas Daniel Fox, Russell Thomas Howells, Rose Brian Howells, Mark Alan Summers Matthew Brian Kennedy, Patrick Irvin Summers, Duane Michael Godling, Benjamin Ward Kaufman, Brian Ward Kaufman, Dylan Jackson Bonzo, Kathleen Sue Moore, Dawson Andrew Carter, James Nathan Austin, William Raymond Viviano Jr., Kenneth David Gray and James Ray Murphy III have been arrested. Similarly, a citizen of the Indian state of West Bengal, Basant Lama has also been arrested.
They have been taken into custody at the District Police Office, Sunsari, and their passports have been sent to the Immigration Department for investigation. According to the police, the investigation process was initiated against them after it was learned that they had reached Dharan for construction on Magh 22. An official said, “When their passports were checked, they were found to have entered Nepal on a tourist visa, but they violated their visa and build a church building. Therefore, further investigation is underway by taking their passports into custody.”
The Chief District Officer of Sunsari, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, confirmed that the accused were detained and questioned by the authorities. Speaking to the media, he said, “Since their visa period has not expired, we have forwarded the case to the Immigration Department for further action.” He added that if the accused are found guilty of violating Nepal’s religious and immigration laws, strict action will be taken against them.
The arrested American citizens entered Nepal only on a 15-day visa, an official involved in the investigation said. According to immigration sources, an investigation is underway to determine what action to take against them based on the severity of their offense. The Immigration Act-2049 provides for the possibility of deporting them, preventing them from entering Nepal for a certain period.
The Constitution of Nepal explicitly prohibits religious conversion, reinforcing the country’s commitment to preserving its culture and religious identity. According to Article 26(2) of the Nepalese constitution, no one shall engage in activities that attempt to convert others or threaten religious harmony, with legal consequences for violations.
