Religious freedom in Laos: phony legal protection of minorities

Christians are in a dubious position in Laos. Even if religious liberty is legally guaranteed, freedom of expression is often restricted.
Christians in Laos are trapped in a strange situation as their rights are legally secured but they still cannot practice their religion free from harassment and restrictions.
According to Asia News, in Luang Prabang, a province in northern Laos, local sources note that religious rights are limited and government officials have branded Christianity as an “American import”.
Reached by Radio Free Asia, officials responsible for religious affairs say Laotian Christians are protected by law. However, on 15th of March,
Pastor Sithon Thipavong was arrested for “religious activities” in Kalum Vangkhea, a village in Savannakhet province. He was given six months in prison, but there is no official explanation for his sentence, Asia News noted.
Christians make up only two percent of the population and most of them are Protestants and Catholics.
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