Christian Lawyers Face Trial

25 April 2007

^{Nguyen Van Dai
Lawyer for the "Mennonite Six"}

Nguyen Van Dai, a 38-year-old member of the main Hanoi congregation of the legally-recognized Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North), or ECVN (N), since 2000, was arrested on March 6 for accusations relating to his defense of religious freedom, including disseminating "alleged infractions of religious liberty [to Vietnam's enemies abroad]." Dai is one of Vietnam's few human rights lawyers and is a member of Advocates International, an organization which brings together Christian human rights lawyers from many countries. He defended the "Mennonite Six" in 2004-2005.

Also arrested in early March was Dai's colleague, Le Thi Cong Nhan, who faces similar accusations. Both are due to be tried on May 11 for defaming the communist state of Vietnam. It is expected that the trial will be nothing more than a charade.

Authorities have prohibited Dai's wife, Khanh, from visiting him and she has not been provided with any legal papers. By law she should have received a copy of the arrest order at her husband's March 6 arrest citing the reasons for his "temporary detention." Her home phone and cell phone services have been cut. Police have reportedly been trying to incite neighbours against her.

The Voice of the Martyrs is urging Christians from around the world to pray for and to send letters/cards of encouragement to Mrs Khanh immediately. For more information, a sample letter and the address to which you can write, please go to persecutedchurch.blogspot.com.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Vietnam, click here.

Vietnam

Current Ministry Project
By helping to provide solid Biblical teaching and training uniquely suited to the needs of a specific tribal group, VOMC is able to equip members of Vietnam’s persecuted church to stand firm in their faith and reach out to others in their communities with the powerful message of the Gospel.

Project Fund: Underground Church
Country Information
Population
104,799,174 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Kinh [Viet] (85.3), Tay (1.9), Thai (1.9), Muong (1.5), Khmer (1.5), Mong (1.4), Nung (1.1), Hoa (1), others (5.5)

Religion (%)
Catholic (6.1), Buddhist (7.9), Protestant (1), Other (0.8) none (86.3%)

Leader
President To Lam (May 2024)

Government type
Communist state

Legal system
Civil law system

Source: CIA World Factbook

Pray for Vietnam

We can thank the Lord for the tremendous witnessing efforts and steadfast faith demonstrated by the persecuted Christians of Vietnam. May they not be intimidated by governmental stipulations but rather encouraged to stand firm on the promises of God – relying on Him for the wisdom, diplomacy and favour required to deal appropriately with the authorities. Pray for radical changes to take place in the hearts of the country’s leaders, especially those who are responsible for implementing and administering Vietnam's laws, so that the work of the Gospel will continue to thrive.
Pray for Vietnam
We can thank the Lord for the tremendous witnessing efforts and steadfast faith demonstrated by the persecuted Christians of Vietnam. May they not be intimidated by governmental stipulations but rather encouraged to stand firm on the promises of God – relying on Him for the wisdom, diplomacy and favour required to deal appropriately with the authorities. Pray for radical changes to take place in the hearts of the country’s leaders, especially those who are responsible for implementing and administering Vietnam's laws, so that the work of the Gospel will continue to thrive.

Vietnam News

Worship Gathering Disrupted

A village in northeastern Vietnam.
Photo: Pexels / Quang Nguyen Vinh

While a Catholic priest was meeting with approximately 20 worshippers in a private residence on August 11th, local police abruptly cut off the power supply of the building and proceeded to raid the gathering, demanding an immediate cessation of the service. This incident occurred in Binh Khang – a village located in Vietnam's northeastern province of Thái Nguyên – at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Read more...
Pastor Arrested for Alleged Anti-State Propaganda

Police in Ho Chi Minh City

Police in Ho Chi Minh City arrested a 71-year-old pastor named Nguyen Manh Hung on January 16th after he was accused of spreading anti-state propaganda through social media. If convicted, the Christian leader could face up to 20 years in prison.

Read more...
Christians Face Opposition and Violence

A village in Vietnam.

Christian workers in Vietnam are requesting urgent prayer on behalf of believers who have recently experienced situations of severe persecution. In response to the ongoing concern, VOMC's partnering ministry office in Australia has been providing the affected Christians with greatly needed financial assistance.

Read more...
New Believer Slain by Unknown Assailants

A village in Vietnam.
Photo: Flickr / Michael Mooney (cc)

In August of this year, a widower and father of two referred to as "Brother Man" came to faith in Christ. When news of the believer's conversion became known, he began to encounter intense pressure from local authorities.

In the first incident, Brother Man was ordered to leave his home. When he refused to do so, the local authorities then confiscated his land and forbade him from contacting any other Christians. Despite the opposition, the follower of Jesus remained firm in his newfound faith.

Read more...