Vietnam Detains Two Montagnard Christians Accused Of ‘Undermining National Unity’

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

HANOI, VIETNAM (Worthy News) – Authorities in Vietnam’s Gia Lai Province have detained two Montagnard Christians on accusations of “undermining national unity” in the latest case involving ethnic minority believers in the communist-run nation, Christians told Worthy News on Monday.

Pastor Siu Yúi, 68, and church member Siu Dok, 40, were reportedly arrested Monday and accused of using “religious teachings” to mobilize ethnic minority communities in Vietnam’s Central Highlands toward separatism and independence.

Well-informed Christian advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) confirmed that both men were charged under Article 116 of Vietnam’s Penal Code, a provision frequently used in cases involving ethnic minority and religious communities.

Local media reported that the two men were allegedly involved in “grassroots training and advocacy” among members of several ethnic groups in the Central Highlands.

Authorities defended the arrests, saying the group used religious gatherings “to mobilize local communities and collect information” and maintained links with individuals abroad who run what officials described as “illegal organizations.”

VIETNAM CHRISTIANS UNDER SCRUTINY

However, CSW said prosecutions under Article 116 are commonplace in the Central Highlands, where ethnic minority communities, particularly those practicing independent or unregistered religious beliefs, have faced repeated crackdowns by authorities.

CSW Founder President Mervyn Thomas expressed concern about the arrests.

“We are concerned by the arrests of these two men under a provision that has repeatedly been used to target members of ethnic and religious minority communities,” Thomas said in a statement to Worthy News.

He urged Vietnamese authorities to ensure both men receive due process, including access to legal representation.

Thomas stressed that no one should be detained “for the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of religion or belief, expression, or association.”

CALLS FOR LEGAL REFORMS

He added that CSW has urged Vietnam’s government to review and amend provisions of the Penal Code that are inconsistent with its obligations under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Most of Vietnam’s Montagnard population lives in the Central Highlands, where many members of the indigenous community identify as Christians.

CSW noted that the Montagnards have a long history of tensions with the Vietnamese government and have faced what it described as “intense harassment and intimidation” since a June 2023 attack on Communist Party offices in Dak Lak Province that left nine people dead, including local Communist Party officials and police officers.

The arrests are likely to renew concerns among rights advocates about the treatment of Christians and ethnic minorities in Vietnam, which is governed as a one-party socialist republic led by the Communist Party of Vietnam, the country’s only legally permitted political organization.

CHRISTIANS FACE PRESSURE

Christians comprise an estimated 8 to 10 million people in Vietnam’s population of more than 100 million, with Roman Catholics forming the largest Christian community and Protestant churches growing among ethnic minority groups.

Advocacy group Open Doors says pressure on Christians remains significant, particularly for converts, house church members, and believers from ethnic minority communities in the Central Highlands.

Vietnam is ranked 55th on Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List after falling out of the organization’s Top 50 countries where Christians reportedly face the most severe persecution and discrimination, largely due to a decline in verified violent incidents.

However, Open Doors cautioned that while reported violence decreased, pressure on Christians increased in several areas of life, especially in regions such as the Central Highlands where authorities closely monitor independent religious activity.

The organization said local authorities continue targeting non-traditional Protestant Christians and ethnic minority believers while maintaining strict state control over registered religious activities, underscoring concerns that religious freedom remains tightly restricted in parts of Vietnam despite a decline in reported violent incidents.

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