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760087

registered interest
date	13/09/2017
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Nepal: Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the state of freedom of religion or belief in Nepal.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10378
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2017 answer text <p>The right to freedom of religion is enshrined in the Nepali Constitution of September 2015, however we are concerned that provisions around changing religion are open to interpretation. Freedom of religion or belief – particularly conversion - remains a sensitive issue. Our Embassy in Kathmandu monitors the human rights situation closely and has consistently encouraged the Government of Nepal and members of Nepal's parliament to ensure Nepal meets its international human rights obligations, this includes freedom of religion or belief, and we will continue to do so. I also raise these issues with the Nepalese Ambassador to London at a meeting on 9 October 2017.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/10/2017 15:35:15 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

760088

registered interest
date	13/09/2017
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Nepal: Freedom of Expression
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Nepal on the state of freedom of expression in that country following the arrest of eight Christians in Charikot in June 2016.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10379
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2017 answer text <p>Our Embassy in Kathmandu has consistently encouraged the Government of Nepal and members of Nepal’s parliament to ensure Nepal meets its international human rights obligations, including freedom of religion or belief. I raised these issues with the Nepalese Ambassador to London at a meeting on 9 October 2017.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/10/2017 15:24:38 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

760089

registered interest
date	13/09/2017
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Nepal: United Nations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to encourage the Government of Nepal to extend standing invitations to UN Special Procedures, including the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10380
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2017 answer text <p>​Our officials in Kathmandu have encouraged the Government of Nepal to implement the recommendations made by the UN Working Group on Universal Periodic Review: Nepal which includes extending an invitation to the UN special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. We will continue to encourage the Government of Nepal to meet its international human rights obligations.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/10/2017 15:16:22 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

760090

registered interest
date	13/09/2017
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Nepal: Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Criminal Code Bill 2014, passed on 8 August 2017 by the Nepali Government, on freedom of religion or belief in Nepal.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10381
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2017 answer text <p>Whilst the final legislation is not yet public the draft version of the Criminal code criminalised religious conversion and the hurting of religious sentiment, which could be interpreted in a way that would limit people’s rights to express their religion and, potentially, their right to choose their religion.</p><p>During drafting our officials in Nepal met with the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs to discuss the bill and raise the need for compliance with international human rights standards. This includes ensuring the protection of the right to change religion.</p><p>I have also raised this matter in my most recent meeting with the Nepalese Ambassador to London on 9 October 2017.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/10/2017 15:21:52 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

760091

registered interest
date	13/09/2017
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Nepal: Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of Article 26(3) of the Nepalese Constitution on freedom of religion or belief in Nepal.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	10382
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2017 answer text <p>The Constitution of Nepal, 2015 under article 26 (1) guarantees freedom of religion as a fundamental right. Sub-article 3 states that in exercise of the right conferred by this article, one cannot do, or cause to be done, any act which may be contrary to public health, decency and morality, breach public peace, convert another person from one religion to another or any other act or conduct that may jeopardize another’s religion. These subsequent provisions may be interpreted in a way that would limit people’s rights to express their religion and, potentially, their right to choose their religion.</p><p>Our Embassy in Kathmandu has consistently encouraged the Government of Nepal and members of Nepal’s parliament to ensure Nepal meets its international human rights obligations. This includes ensuring freedom of religion or belief. I raised these issues with the Nepalese Ambassador to London at a meeting on 9 October.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/10/2017 15:25:36 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon