Pastor Released After Four Years in Prison

USCIRF, The Christian Post, Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission 24 September 2020

Pastor A. Dao - Photo: USCIRF — Pastor A. Dao
Photo: USCIRF

On September 18th, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom announced that Pastor A. Dao had been released from prison after being incarcerated for over four years. This decision came 11 months before his expected release.

Pastor Dao, who headed the Montagnard Evangelical Church of Christ, was an ardent advocate for his people as they frequently faced oppression from the Vietnamese authorities. He was arrested on August 18th, 2016, and then sentenced in April 2017 to five years' imprisonment for allegedly "helping individuals to escape abroad illegally." During interrogation, he was reportedly tortured in an effort to extract a confession. His wife explained that the prison guards had been using other inmates to beat him.

In making this announcement, USCIRF Commissioner James W. Carr stated, "I hope this release is a sign that the Vietnamese government is serious about improving religious freedom conditions." To learn more about the challenges facing Christians in Vietnam, go to our country report.

Praise God for this unexpected release! May the Lord's peace rest on both Pastor Dao and his wife, Nguyen Thi Tuoi. As Pastor Dao now adjusts to life outside of prison, pray that he will find safety and receive needed healing from the horrific abuse he endured while imprisoned. May his release be a hopeful indication that the authorities in Vietnam will indeed come to respect the religious rights and freedoms of all people.

Video Report

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...