After one week in prison, three members of an independent Protestant house church in Vietnam have been released to their families and are now home.
The three men, all related, were arbitrarily arrested by police in Dak Lai Province. Their house church is one of many churches and denominations not officially recognised by the Vietnamese Communist Party. Consequently, they are subject to regular harassment and discrimination from local and state authorities.
Pastor Y Khen Bdap, who was sentenced a decade ago to four years in prison for his religious activities, told sources that the three men arrested and released are members of his family. He affirmed that harassment continues for Christians in their area.
Vietnam has a repressive communist government that actively restricts Christian worship in many ways. While Christian worship is legal, the government views Christians and churches as a threat to its power and control. Minority tribal groups, such as the Hmong, generally face the most violent and harsh forms of persecution, while Christians in urban centres experience pressure and harassment instead of violent opposition. Churches continue to grow as believers faithfully reach out despite these challenges.
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