Adherents of the country's many religions generally coexist peacefully and respect all places of worship. Those who convert to other religions may face isolated incidents of violence and sometimes are ostracized socially, but generally do not fear to admit in public their affiliations. The U.S. Embassy maintains regular contact with Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Ba'hai and other religious groups. It closely monitors religious freedoms and raises these issues with the Government when appropriate. Some Christian groups are concerned that the ban on proselytizing limits the expression of non-Hindu religious belief.
Christian denominations are few but growing.
Recent estimates put the number of Christians in Nepal at about 400,000, and press reports indicate that 170 Christian churches operate in Kathmandu alone. Religious Freedom A conviction for conversion or proselytizing can result in fines or imprisonment or, in the case of foreigners, expulsion from the country. However, arrests or detentions for proselytizing are rare, and there have been few incidents of punishment or investigation in connection with conversion or proselytization during the last few years. April 2000 public observances of Easter in a Kathmandu park and Passover seder in a major hotel in Kathmandu were uneventful. Easter services that year, which did have the proper permit, took place in a public park without incident.