KATHMANDU: Nepal government who was already in difficulty due to the increasing voices seeking transparency and abolition of corruption got further irritated when it saw some foreigners joining the coronavirus protests related with handling of the coronavirus epidemic in Nepal.
The government has decided to deport 5 foreigners who took part in the rally once flights resume, i.e. after July 5.
Some foreigners from countries like Australia, China, Canada the US had joined the peaceful demonstrations against the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic crisis on Saturday and were detained on the same day.
The government had arrested 7 of them and is now planning to send 5 of them once the flights resume.
As per Nepal’s regulations a foreigner taking part in the protest against the government will be deported from Nepal and barred from returning for two years.
Hundreds of people had taken to the streets defying the government-enforced lockdown and demanded better virus testing, quarantine facilities for returning migrant workers and transparency from the government.
Immigration Department Chief Ramesh Kumar KC said that the foreigners were being deported for joining a political rally in “a breach of tourist visa rules”.
According to sources, out of the detained foreigners, three Chinese and an American were additionally fined Rs 10,000 (US$81.79), while an Australian was slapped with Rs 20,000 penalty for taking photos of the protest.
A Norwegian woman nabbed on the same day was fined Rs 5,000 but skipped being deported as she is married to a Nepali.
A Canadian arrested was later let off after finding that he had not taken part in the rally.
The government has warned protesters they could face six months in jail if they held rallies during the lockdown.
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