Gender: Male

Current Location: Xuan Phuoc Prison, Phu Yen

Perpetrator: Vietnam

Ethnic Group: Jarai

Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 9 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: April//2018

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Human Rights Work for Religious Communities Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Freedom Advocacy Reporting on Religious Freedom Conditions or Documenting Religious Freedom Violations Unregistered Religious Activity

Nature of Charges: Subversion

Y Min Ksor

Extra Bio Info:

Y Min Ksor is imprisoned for his religious activity. 

In April 2018, authorities arrested Ksor, a member of the unregistered Good News Missionary Church, during a police raid on a house church service. Authorities accused him of spreading false information about Vietnam's violations of minority rights and religious freedom in order to convince people to join efforts to establish an independent state. Ksor was reportedly tortured during his interrogation and forced to sign an agreement to stop worshiping with his church. 

Authorities sentenced Ksor to 9 years' imprisonment and three to five years' probation for "undermining national unity policy" (Art. 87/1999 VCC).

Publicly Available Information:

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Vietnam

Ethnic Group: Ede

Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 14 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: April/10/2018

Date of Sentencing: January/31/2019

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Human Rights Work for Religious Communities Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Freedom Advocacy Reporting on Religious Freedom Conditions or Documenting Religious Freedom Violations Unregistered Religious Activity

Nature of Charges: Subversion

Y Pum Bya

Extra Bio Info:

Y Pum Bya is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On April 10, 2018, Vietnamese authorities arrested Y Pum Bya, a church leader, after accusing him of spreading false information about Vietnam's violations of minority rights and religious freedom in order to convince people to join efforts to establish an independent state. While at the Ea Drong Commune police station, he was allegedly interrogated about his religious activities, tortured, and forced to sign commitments to stop worshipping in a group while belonging to the Gospel Missionary Church. Prior to this most recent arrest, authorities threatened Y Pum Bya with arrest for his religious activities. On March 15, 2017, Y Pum Bya requested permission to register unregistered religious activities in Ea Drong Commune; however, authorities quickly rejected that request and police threatened him with arrest and imprisonment if he continued to engage in his religious activities.

On January 31, 2019, Y Pum Bya was sentenced to 14 years in prison and four years’ probation for “undermining national unity policy" (Art. 87/1999 VCC). He is currently imprisoned at Gia Trung Prison in Gia Lai Province.

Y Pum Bya was arrested and imprisoned previously for his religious activity. On February 28, 2002, Vietnamese authorities arrested Y Pum Bya after he requested authorization for unregistered house-churches to conduct religious activities. On December 25, 2002, Y Pum Bya was sentenced to eight years in prison and four years’ probation for “undermining national unity policy" (Art. 87/1999 VCC).

Y Pum Bya is married with children.

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) advocates for Y Pum Bya as part of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Defending Freedoms Project.

Publicly Available Information:

Oct 15

WHEN:

Oct 15th 1:00pm - Oct 15th 2:00pm

 

U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

Conversation with USCIRF: Religious Freedom in Turkey

Thursday, October 15, 2020
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Virtual Event

Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for a virtual event about religious freedom conditions in Turkey. 

This special event will highlight recent and ongoing religious freedom concerns in Turkey, including the conversion of historic former churches such as the Hagia Sophia and Chora into mosques; governmental and societal targeting of religious minorities; and the ramifications of these developments and practices for religious minorities throughout the country.  The topics of this discussion will also serve to underscore USCIRF’s 2020 Annual Report recommendation to the U.S. Department of State to include Turkey in its Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe religious freedom violations.  USCIRF Commissioners Nury Turkel and James W. Carr will hold a conversation with guest panelists Tuğba Tanyeri-Erdemir of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Nesi Altaras of Avlaremoz.  USCIRF Director of Outreach and Policy Dwight Bashir will moderate the conversation followed by questions and answers from attendees. 

 

Panelists

  • Nury Turkel - Commissioner, USCIRF
  • James W. Carr - Commissioner, USCIRF
  • Tuğba Tanyeri-Erdemir - Coordinator of ADL’s Task Force on Middle East Minorities and Research Associate at the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Anthropology
  • Nesi Altaras - Editor at Avlaremoz

Moderator

  • Dwight Bashir - Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRF

 

This virtual event is open to the public and media. The video recording will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions, please contact [email protected].

 

 

Gayle Manchin, Chair · Tony Perkins, Vice Chair · Anurima Bhargava, Vice Chair
Gary Bauer · James W. Carr · Frederick A. Davie · Nadine Maenza · Johnnie Moore · Nury Turkel
Erin D. Singshinsuk, Executive Director

www.uscirf.gov

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on threats to religious freedom abroad.

 

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