A court in Vietnam’s Dak Lak province has sentenced Montagnard Protestant pastor Y Nuen Ayun to seven-and-a-half years in prison after finding him guilty of undermining “the national unity policy.”
The 59-year-old pastor was also given four years of supervised probation following his release, according to a statement from U.K.-based religious freedom organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
State media said prosecutors accused Y Nuen Ayun of leading unregistered Protestant activities since 2003 and later developing ties with A Ga, a U.S.-based man whom Vietnamese authorities allege supports separatist activity through Protestant congregations.
Prosecutors alleged that Y Nuen Ayun helped establish and lead the Church of Christ Central Highlands beginning in 2019 while maintaining contact with A Ga on religious issues. Authorities said he organized in-person and online meetings, recruited members, provided reports to overseas rights organizations and raised more than 7.7 million dong, approximately $294, for the group.
Officials alleged the activities were aimed at establishing a separate religious organization for ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands. He was prosecuted under Article 116 of Vietnam’s Criminal Code, which criminalizes “undermining the national unity policy.”
CSW President Mervyn Thomas accused Vietnam of continuing to violate international human rights standards on religious freedom despite holding a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council.
“Religious minorities, especially Christians in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, are mischaracterized 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,” Thomas said. “This is exactly what has happened to Pastor Y Nuen Ayun, and we therefore call for his immediate and unconditional release.”
Many Montagnards in Vietnam are Protestant Christians living in the Central Highlands, an area with a history of tensions with the government. CSW said the community has faced increased harassment and intimidation since a June 2023 attack on Communist Party offices in Dak Lak killed nine people, including police officers and local officials.
Open Doors reported in January that pressure on Vietnamese Christians had risen slightly over the previous year, particularly against ethnic minorities and non-traditional Protestant groups in the Central Highlands. The watchdog also said authorities exert control over churches through the government’s Committee on Religious Affairs.
