GELEPHU, Bhutan — A court in predominantly Buddhist Bhutan has sentenced a Christian to three years in prison for “attempting to promote civil unrest” by screening films on Christianity. A local court in Gelephu convicted Prem Singh Gurung, a 40-year-old ethnic Nepalese citizen from Sarpang district in south Bhutan, on Oct. 6, according to the government-run daily Kuensel.
Gurung was arrested in May after local residents complained that he was showing Christian films in Gonggaon and Simkharkha villages in Jigmecholing block. Gurung invited villagers to watch Nepali movies, and between each feature he showed films on Christianity. Government attorneys could not prove “beyond reasonable doubt” that Gurung promoted civil unrest, and, therefore, “he was charged with an attempt to promote civil unrest,” the daily reported. Gurung was also charged with violation of a Bhutanese law requiring authorities to examine all films before public screening.
Buddhism is the state religion in Bhutan, and the government is mandated to preserve its culture and religion according to the 2008 constitution. As in other parts of South Asia, people in Bhutan mistakenly believe that Christianity is a Western faith and that missionaries give monetary benefits to convert people from other religions. A Christian from Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu, said the conviction of Gurung disturbed area villagers.
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