29th June 2026 GENEVA – Switzerland | Anti-conversion laws as a tool for human rights violations in Nepal was discussed during a joint side-event at the UN Human Rights Council’s 62nd session.
Prof. Dr. Levrat – UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues and the keynote speaker at the side-event, visited Nepal in December 2025 just while a political transition was taking place. His report which was presented at the last Human Rights Council session in March 2026, emphasised that Nepal should, “seize the opportunity that lies before it to augment human rights protection for all parts of its society.”
A recorded testimony of three Christian pastors in Nepal was shared by Christian Solidarity International. Authorities arrested the pastors in March 2026 for charges under the countries 2017 anti-conversion laws for accepting an invitation to a Hindu families home. The pastors described the poor conditions in the prison, where they were being held together with prisoners of violent crimes.
Lawyer Buddha Ghising from Nepal emphasised the importance of ongoing constitutional reform to amend or repeal the constitutional provision on religious freedom in article 4 (1) which includes a definition for secular which is problematic. The article defines secular to mean: “religious, cultural freedoms, including protection of religion and culture handed down from time immemorial.” (our emphasis). Lawyer Ghising described how this definition opens for discrimination of the majority religion over other beliefs, effectively limiting the exercise of religious freedom for individuals who hold minority beliefs. He raised concerns with the anti-conversion law, Section 158 of the 2017 Penal Code, and gave examples of how under the extra-territorial application of the Act, the law empowered law enforcement to charge individuals under Section 158 for exercising their freedom of religion or belief abroad. He therefore also urged that Article 2 sub section (g) of the Penal Code be removed.
Jonas Fiebrantz with ADF International outlined the international law framework regulating conversion and noted that while the right to propagate one’s religion or belief is not absolute – any restriction must meet the strict criteria of “legality, necessity and proportionality.” He outlined how the current status of Nepal’s laws do not meet that threshold, “Sharing one’s religious views, including for the purpose of persuading others, cannot be subject to a blanket restriction, but may only be limited on those cases of genuine coercion or infringement of the rights of others.” He pointed that any limitation would need to “protect individual rights holders, not religions or cultural heritage as such.”
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues Prof. Dr. Levrat, noted that anti-conversion laws are not unique to Nepal but are applied in 46 countries, “according to my count.” He concluded by saying that in all these countries the problem with these laws is implementation, “it is always discriminatory.” He was thankful to Nepal for accepting a country visit from the Special Rapporteur, it is the only country in South Asia who has, he noted.