Nepal is known for its ancient history and breathtaking mountain peaks. But the South Asian nation not only debuted this year on Open Doors World Watch List of nations where Christians face the most persecution for their faith, it also landed as high as the No. 25 spot.
Why?
The key is to understand that although the government presents Nepal as a secular country, it's practically run by Hindu forces, said Pastor Bharat Giri, a full-time Christian minister of 24 years, who is now the chairman of a political party seeking to inspire and encourage Christians to stand up for their rights.
"We are dominated by India," Giri told The Christian Post, explaining that the injustice, negligence of people's needs, corruption, and human rights abuses affecting minority religious groups are on the rise.
"They are promoting only the Hindu people," he explained, noting that the minority Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists in the country are often left behind.
One of the major factors behind Nepal's deteriorating religious freedom rights has been legislation signed into law in October 2017 that criminalizes religious conversion. Giri said that it's heavily used to punish those who decide they want to become Christians. Christian Post.
