Reverend Samson drew attention to himself as an outspoken advocate and defender of the rights of religious and ethnic minorities in Myanmar. In 2019 he was part of a delegation that met the U.S. President at the time – Donald Trump – to discuss the military’s abuse of ethnic minorities. The pastor was detained when he was flying to Thailand for a health check-up on the 5th of December 2022, then authorities charged and imprisoned him. 

He had served 16 months of his sentence when he became one of the 3,300 people released from prison as a good-will gesture to celebrate the Buddhist New Year festival of Thingyan on the 17th of April this year. However, security officials arrested him again later that night. They told the pastor’s family they had to take him away for his own safety. Pastor Samson’s wife, Zung Nyaw, and a member of the Kachin-based Peace-talk Creation Group were also taken to Myitkyina prison.

Around 6% of Myanmar’s 54 million people are Christian. Most of them live in Kachin state, in the country’s northern part that borders China and India. Even though around 35% of the population is Christian in this state, they face constant harassment and persecution. 

Following Pastor Samson’s release on the 23rd of July, Scot Bower, CEO of Christian Solidarity Worldwide stated: “CSW welcomes the release of Reverend Dr. Samson, who should never have been imprisoned in the first place. He is a non-violent Christian pastor and an internationally respected human rights advocate. We urge the Myanmar military to ensure that he and his family are allowed to enjoy his freedom in peace and without fear of further legal prosecution.”

Source: https://premierchristian.news/