VIETNAM: Repressive Crackdown

In later 2006 the Vietnamese government quietly repressed Christian lawyer, Nguyen Van Dai (38), an advocate for religious liberty, human rights and democracy who has represented Vietnam's persecuted Church in the courts. In November 2006 Vietnam got taken off USA's blacklist of religious persecutors, was accepted into the World Trade Organisation and hosted a successful APEC Summit. With all that achieved Vietnam unleashed a major crackdown on human rights and democracy advocates. Lawyer Dai, who had been honoured by Human Rights Watch, is one of three Christians arrested on 6 March and charged with 'propagandising against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam'. He is accused of gathering 'evidence that Vietnam suppresses religion' to distribute to 'enemy forces and to reactionaries residing abroad'. Courage can be costly. Please pray for Vietnam.