Lam had been the leader of Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security – an organisation infamous of Christian persecution, suppressing human rights and minority groups. The majority of Vietnam’s population is Buddhist, only 7% are Catholic and less than 3% are Evangelical Christians. 

According to International Christian Concern: “This move is bad news for Christians in Vietnam and Vietnamese Christians from minority ethnic groups who have fled Vietnam to other nations. To Lam’s record against Vietnamese Christians and human rights defenders is well documented. As a ministry supporting and strengthening suffering Christians, we must watch Vietnam even closer to ensure Christians there can endure the coming trials they are almost certain to face under this new Communist Party leadership.”

Eleven Vietnamese Christians – six Protestants and five Catholics –  who were imprisoned for religious activities are still missing. They were sentenced at different times between 2011 and 2016 to a combined total of 90 years and eight months in prison. Their whereabouts are still unknown. 

The Communist government considers churches as threats against authorities, therefore they are constantly harassed and monitored. Church leaders have to submit reports outlining their teaching s and activities on a regular basis. According to an Open Doors UK partner: “Nghe An province is one of the toughest places in Vietnam for Christians to be living in. The province is the birth place of Ho Chi Minh, founder of the Indochina Communist Party. Several incidents recently have been reported that believers were beaten, their properties destroyed, and some kicked out of their villages because of their faith in God.”

Source: https://www.persecution.org/