A group of 11 Vietnamese Christians arrested for their faith are now missing, according to anti-persecution organisation International Christian Concern.
The group consists of Protestants and five Catholics, who were sentenced between 2011 and 2016 to a total of 90 years and eight months.
The protestants hail from the Degar people, an indigenous group living in Vietnam's Central Highlands. The advocacy group Campaign to Stop Torture in Vietnam said that government officials "routinely force Montagnard Christians to publicly recant their religion, [and] those who continue to worship in independent house churches face beatings, arrest, and imprisonment.”
Three were accused of “undermining national unity policy” due to interacting with Degar Protestantism, a religious movement banned by Vietnam’s communist regime.
Two of the group were imprisoned after refusing to deny their faith.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has reported that the home of Protestant believer Sung A Khua was damaged. His family were expelled from their village, and he was later arrested on charges of “deforestation.”
In 2018, the Vietnamese government introduced the Law on Belief and Religion, which regulates religious practice within the nation. While some Christian groups are permitted under the law, Vietnamese authorities closely monitor their activity. 
Vietnamese pastors have reported being forced to disclose a list of their congregations.
USCIRF’s assessment also explained that “several pastors reported that their applications had been pending with no formal decision for months or even years, despite a requirement in the law that local officials respond to applications within 60 days.”
The USCIRF has reported allegations of torture and mistreatment of four other imprisoned Christians.
Open Doors reports: “[In Vietnam], it is a mixed story for believers. It seems that authorities at the national level are not sure how to react to increased international scrutiny of their freedom of religion record.”