KATHMANDU: Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal has admitted that earlier public information regarding the release of Nepali citizen Amrit Jha was incorrect and has issued an apology over the matter on social media.
In a Facebook post, Minister Khanal clarified that Jha, who was arrested in Iran on charges of illegal smuggling and transportation of goods in Qeshm Island, remains in custody at a prison in Bandar Abbas pending trial.
According to Khanal, Jha and six other foreign nationals were taken into custody by Iranian security forces in early January, prior to the outbreak of conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran on February 28.
The minister said that on April 15, Iran’s honorary consul in Qatar, Shahram Shanti, had informed Nepal’s acting ambassador in Qatar, Kumar Rai, that Jha had been released.
Based on that communication, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry had initially issued an informal statement claiming that Jha had been freed, which Minister Khanal also shared publicly.
However, Khanal later confirmed that updated information revealed Jha had not been released and that an “expert report” had been ordered by the court as part of ongoing legal proceedings.
Following the clarification, ministry officials informed Jha’s family about the actual situation.
The minister said he regretted the confusion caused by the premature release of incorrect information, noting that the case remains under judicial consideration in Iranian courts.
The Foreign Ministry stated that a technical expert team is currently preparing a report to be submitted to the court, while diplomatic efforts continue to ensure a fair trial and legal assistance for Jha.
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