Imprisoned Pastor’s Son Asked to Renounce Faith, Faces Death Threats in Vietnam

 

ICC | 12-09-2020 

Vietnam (International Christian Concern) – Prior to International Human Rights Day on December 10, Radio Free Asia’s (RFA) Vietnamese service spoke to several human rights groups to learn about the erosion of human rights in the country. These groups, including Human Rights Watch, comment that human rights in Vietnam do not improve but instead deteriorate, especially in the context of 2020 with the global economic turmoil and COVID epidemic- 19 raging everywhere.

Among the offenses, the communist regime’s ongoing persecution against Christians, especially those with ethnic minority background, was mentioned. Many Christians are put in jail under trumped up charges for several years, some have been imprisoned and tortured repeatedly.

According to RFA, Pastor Y Yich of Dak Doa town, Gia Lai province, who is ethnic Montagnard, is serving 12-year jail in An Phuoc prison, Binh Duong province.

Mr Mrui, son of Pastor Y Yich said, “My dad was arrested in 2013, for opposing the state, [authorities] forced him to abandon his faith. Village, district officers continuously visit our home to monitor us, they invited [meaning summoned] me 5,6 times, threatened to bash me and kill me, forcing me to abandon my faith.”

He added that the prison officers beat his father—all his teeth fell out as a result, he is frail. “My family suffers from serious hardship, the Vietnamese authorities oppresses and not respecting the human rights of [Vietnamese] ethnic minorities,” he said.

In addition, according to Vietnamese People’s Evangelical Fellowship (VPEF), Pastor Y Yich has been denied medical treatment for high blood pressure, rheumatism, and stomach inflammation. Prison authorities have refused to deliver medicine to him which was brought to the facility by his family.

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.