A pastor in Vietnam has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, raising serious concerns for religious freedom advocates.
Pastor Y Nuen Ayun, 59, was convicted by the People's Court of Đắk Lắk Province on 5 August on charges of "undermining the national unity policy". He was also handed four years of probationary supervision to follow his prison sentence.
According to state media reports and court documents, prosecutors accused Pastor Y Nuen Ayun of organising and leading unregistered Protestant religious activities and of helping to establish and operate a religious organisation known as the Church of Christ Central Highlands.
According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), the Church is an independent, unregistered Protestant denomination composed primarily of indigenous Montagnard ethnic minority groups in Vietnam's Central Highlands
Authorities alleged that Pastor Y Nuen Ayun organised religious gatherings, conducted meetings online and in person, recruited participants, communicated with overseas organisations and received financial support for the group's activities. Prosecutors claimed these actions were intended to promote a separate religious organisation for ethnic minorities in Vietnam's Central Highlands.
The case also highlights the pastor's alleged links to an individual known as A Ga, who is reported to live in the United States and whom Vietnamese authorities accuse of supporting separatist movements through Protestant churches in the region.
CSW has strongly criticised the pastor's prison sentence, describing it as another example of the Vietnamese government's suppression of freedom of religion or belief.
CSW's Founder President, Mervyn Thomas, said: "Vietnam continues to flagrantly flaunt international standards of human rights law in its targeted campaign against freedom of religion or belief, in the process making a mockery of its standing as a member of the UN Human Rights Council.
"Religious minorities, especially Christians in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, are mischaracterised as wanting to foster anti-Vietnamese and separatist sentiment, when in reality they are simply seeking the right to practice their religion of choice in peace. This is exactly what has happened to Pastor Y Nuen Ayun, and we therefore call for his immediate and unconditional release."
Rights groups say pressure on the Montagnards has intensified since an attack on Communist Party offices in Đắk Lắk Province in June 2023, which left nine people dead, including local officials and police officers.
