Laos Christians Still Detained as EU-Laos Human Rights Talks Begin

ICC Note:

23 Christians in Savannakhet Province of Laos were arrested on May 11 for meeting in an unauthorized location, a church which was banned from holding church services two years ago.12 of them, including women and teenagers, have been released after signing documents promising not to meet at that location again. However, 11 other Christians are still detained as the EU’s regular dialogue with the country on human rights and good governance starts in Brussels this week.

By Jeremy Reynalds

05/22/2014 Vietnam (ANS) — Multiple sources have informed a human rights agency that 11 Christians detained in Savannakhet Province in Laos on May 11 2014 remain in prison after being arrested for meeting in an unauthorized location.

Laos is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Burma and People’s Republic of China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west.

According to a news release from human rights agency Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), 12 others, including women and teenagers, have been released after signing documents agreeing not to meet at that location again.

The news comes as the EU’s regular dialogue with Laos on human rights and good governance begins in Brussels this week.

A new briefing by CSW urges the EU delegation to ensure that the EU’s key concerns in relation to freedom of religion or belief are raised consistently through exchanges on human rights and good governance.

The 23 Christians in Savannakhet Province belong to a church in Paksong Village in Songkhone District, which was banned from holding church services in 2012. CSW said the pastor of the church was arrested and coerced into signing a document saying the church would stop meet ing.

According to Human Rights Watch for Laos Religious Freedom, the authorities, including the new village chief, claimed that Christians in that area did not receive permission to hold worship services. However, the Christians claimed they received permission from the former village chief approximately a year before.

The recent arrest of the 23 Christians, including the pastor, appears to involve two locations. The authorities are trying to prevent Christians meeting at a “new” location, which they claim is unauthorized. However, the group has reportedly been meeting there for over six years.

CSW’s briefing includes an overview of the most common violations of freedom of religion or belief in Laos, including forced eviction and being “forced to sign documents recanting their beliefs.”

Although Laos has seen some improvements in the protection of freedom of religion or belief, including “a reduction in the number of long-term Christian prisoners of conscience and in the average length of sentence” over the past decade, cases like the one mentioned above in Savannakhet Province are not uncommon.

…