No, pastor Bryan Nerren was not arrested for his religious identity but for carrying undeclared currency to India

The anti-Hindu account, Peiter Friedrich, on Twitter claimed in his tweet that pastor Bryan Nerren was imprisoned for seven months in India. He further claimed that he was arrested because of his affiliation with Christianity.

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Fact Check

In the start of our research, we did the keyword search for “pastor Bryan Nerren” and came across the report by a few media outlets.

These sources state that American evangelical preacher Bryan Nerren, who hails from Tennessee, was detained in India in October 2019 for carrying USD 40,000 in undeclared currency. His arrest was specifically motivated by matters pertaining to currency laws and customs procedures.

The specifics of his arrest’s circumstances weren’t fully covered in the press. However, he was charged with breaking the rules of India’s Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), according to reports, since he was transporting money for a Christian charity he started there. He was accused by the authorities of entering the nation without properly declaring the money.

Following his arrest, Pastor Nerren was subject to legal processes in India, and the US government and a number of Christian advocacy organisations worked to get him released. He was released after intervention from Trump government in May 2020.

What is undeclared currency?

Any type of currency or monetary instrument that is being moved over international borders without being disclosed to customs or the appropriate authorities of the destination country is referred to as undeclared currency. Examples include cash, traveler’s checks, money orders, and negotiable instruments.

Why carrying undeclared currency to another country is considered a crime?

Carrying undeclared currency to another country is often consider a crime or a violation of customs regulations for several reasons:

Money laundering: The act of carrying undeclared currency can be associated with money laundering, which involves concealing the origins of illegally obtained money to make it appear legitimate.

Tax evasion: Some individuals may carry undeclared currency to avoid paying taxes on income or assets in their home country or the destination country.

Terrorism and illegal activities: Undeclared currency can be used to fund illegal activities, including terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and other criminal enterprises.

Economic regulations: Many countries have strict rules and regulations governing the movement of currency across borders to protect their economic stability and control the flow of funds.

Smuggling: Carrying large amounts of undeclared currency can be seen as an attempt to smuggle money into or out of a country, which is a criminal offense in most jurisdictions.

To combat these potential issues and to ensure proper oversight and transparency, most countries have laws and regulations in place that require travelers to declare any amount of currency exceeding a specified threshold when crossing international borders. This declaration is typically done through a customs form or an electronic declaration system. Failure to declare the currency or providing false information can lead to confiscation of the undeclared funds, fines, and potential criminal prosecution.

Hence, according to the aforementioned facts, the claim made by the anti-Hindu bigot Pieter Friedrich, is misleading. Due to his violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act by carrying undeclared, Pastor Nerren was sentenced to seven months in prison in India.

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