Violence against Christians is increasing in Vietnam, yet the Church is growing among ethnic minorities. Christians who come from a Buddhist or animist background experience the strongest pressure, both from their communities and the authorities. Christian ethnic minorities, such as the Montagnards, also face fierce opposition. All Christian groups are monitored by the government, registering churches is difficult, and a new law on religion and belief limits religious groups by controlling meetings.
Vietnam told to release prisoners of conscience
A group of 17 NGOs has called for the release of detained bloggers and human rights activists in Vietnam, the country Amnesty said last year had the highest number of prisoners of conscience in Southeast Asia. In July, there were more than 90 prisoners of conscience in Vietnam’s jails, according […]
Vietnam: Catholic activist sent back to prison in new crackdown
Vietnam has sentenced a Catholic former prisoner of conscience to five years in prison for resisting arrest and violating probation terms, reports UCA News (UCAN). Nguyen Van Oai, 36, was arrested in January by plain clothes police and accused of breaking probation terms after leaving his locality for a fishing […]
‘Under no circumstances’ should Cambodia repatriate Montagnards to Vietnam
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is urging Cambodia not to carry out its threat to imminently return a group of ethnic Montagnards to Vietnam, saying “they would face severe persecution on political and religious grounds”. HRW also criticised Cambodia’s Interior Ministry for denying the asylum claims of 29 Montagnards and failing […]
Cambodia to repatriate 13 Montagnards after failed asylum bids
Thirteen Montagnards are being sent back to Vietnam, after they were refused asylum in Cambodia. Thousands of Montagnards have fled their country to seek asylum in neighbouring countries since 2001, citing land expropriation and religious persecution. Many of the indigenous group, from Vietnam’s highlands, are Christians. The 13 were part of […]
Vietnam arrests four more human rights activists
Four more activists were arrested in Vietnam on Sunday (30 July), the latest in a string of arrests seen as part of a general crackdown on freedom of expression, assembly and religion. Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton, Nguyen Bac Truyen, head of an association of former religious and political prisoners, activist […]
Vietnam pastor freed early from prison in return for exile to US
Vietnam has released a Lutheran pastor and deported him to the United States, reports UCA News. Nguyen Cong Chinh, was serving an 11-year prison sentence for “undermining national solidarity” through religious activities with ethnic groups in the country’s Central Highlands. He was also a director of the Vietnam-U.S. Lutheran Alliance […]
Vietnam government accused of stealing monks’ land
Land belonging to Benedictine monks in central Vietnam has been appropriated by the government, according to Catholic news agency UCAN. Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Chi Linh, head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam, said the government has sold Thien An monastery’s land to local and foreign enterprises to help attract investment. At […]
Vietnam issues harsh sentence to another Catholic blogger
Vietnam has again been criticised over its treatment of a Catholic blogger. Mary Magdalene Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, 37, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a one-day trial on 29 June for posting what police described as anti-state reports, including one about civilians dying in police custody, reports […]
Vietnam Catholic blogger ‘will continue his struggle’ after expulsion to France
Vietnam has now expelled to France the Catholic activist Peter Pham Minh Hoang, citing his violation of laws and that he had “undermined national security,” reports UCANews. Hoang, who arrived in Paris on 25 June after being arrested and detained two days earlier, wasn’t allowed to say goodbye to his […]
Vietnamese pastor punished for ‘reports’ to US diplomats; Catholic blogger to be expelled to France
A pastor imprisoned in south-east Vietnam is being further punished for telling a visiting U.S. diplomatic delegation about abuses he has suffered. Nguyen Cong Chinh, serving an 11-year sentence for “undermining national solidarity” by religious activities with ethnic groups in the Central Highlands, met US consular officials in Ho Chi […]