The Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered Canadian national Robert Penner to leave Nepal within two days.

Ministry Spokesman Yadav Prasad Koirala said Penner’s visa has been cancelled, warning that he would be jailed if he failed to leave the country in the given time. Penner was arrested on Monday on the charge of “inciting disharmony through social media”. 

“Nepal Immigration released me after 26 hrs in custody, cancelled my working visa & gave me 2 days to leave Nepal. Thanks to all supporters,” Penner wrote on Twitter.

Dipendra Jha, Penner’s lawyer, said that his client was planning to file a writ petition at the Supreme Court. “The charges against Penner are unfounded as there are no evidences that his social media remarks caused social discord as alleged,” said Jha.

Home Ministry officials said that Penner was charged as per Section 28, Clause ‘e’ of Immigration Rules-1994. The clause states that the Department of Immigration reserves right to cancel the visa of a foreign national “if his or her presence seems to cause an adverse impact on peace and security of Nepal or mutual harmony between the people of Nepal”. 

Legal experts said that an interpretation of the rule by the Supreme Court would be final as there is no precedent to this case.