Authorities arrested six Christians in Tahae, village Khammouane Province, central Laos, on June 22. Pastor Mum, the leader of the small Christian community, and five other church members were the ones arrested. They were held in prison for over a month and were released only on July 25. According to a contact of Barnabas Aid, the authorities threatened the Christians upon their release.

“The authorities have warned them and said to do only low-key Christian ministry or they will have problems again.”

A small but active Christian community of up to twenty people existed in Tahae village for years. The arrest of the believers happened after the village chief requested it from local authorities. At first the chief ordered the Christians not to carry out services in the village, not even in the house of the pastor. Complying with the request, the Christians started to gather at a nearby rice field and started the construction of a small church outside the village. This was the moment when the authorities came and arrested Pastor Mum and five other believers.

Since the “Law on the Evangelical Church” was approved in December 2019, Christians in Laos have rights to conduct services, preach throughout Laos, and maintain contacts with believers in other countries. However, this law is rarely upheld in rural areas of Laos, where Christian communities suffer frequent atrocities.

Source: Barnabas Aid