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USCIRF Welcomes Release of Pastor A Dao in Vietnam
September 18, 2020
Sep 18, 2020 USCIRF Welcomes Release of Pastor A Dao in Vietnam Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today welcomed the release of A Dao, a pastor of the Montagnard Evangelical Church of Christ. Vietnamese authorities had arrested him on August 18, 2016, after he returned to Vietnam from a conference about religious freedom in East Timor. “I am delighted that Pastor A Dao is free, even as I lament the fact that prison robbed him of four years of his life,” USCIRF Commissioner James W. Carr stated. “I hope this release is a sign that the Vietnamese government is serious about improving religious freedom conditions and will release other individuals detained for their religious freedom advocacy, including Nguyen Bac Truyen. In addition, USCIRF urges the government to take steps to ensure that local authorities respect A Dao’s freedom and safety should he choose to return to his home village.” Commissioner Carr advocated for Pastor A Dao’s release through USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project, while Representative Glenn Grothman adopted him through the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission’s Defending Freedoms Project. “This is a hallmark day for both Pastor A Dao and Vietnam,” added Representative Glenn Grothman. “Congratulations to Pastor Dao on being able to return to his family. I would like to meet him some day. I hope that his release is a sign of Vietnam transitioning from an anti-God totalitarian state to a country in which religion in general and Christianity in particular can be openly practiced. This also shows the importance of American elected officials speaking out against oppression and promoting the importance of religious freedom throughout the world. Religion should not be a tool to oppress any person nor a stain on their character. I hope other American Congressmen familiarize themselves with the oppression that religious minorities, which in many parts of the world are Christians, have to deal with on a daily basis.” Pastor A Dao for years advocated for his fellow church members to enjoy religious freedom in Vietnam’s Central Highlands and elsewhere. In April 2017, a Vietnamese court tried and sentenced him to five years imprisonment for allegedly “helping individuals to escape abroad illegally” under Article 275 of the country’s Penal Code. He later claimed he was tortured in order to extract a confession. Under his prison sentence, A Dao was not expected to be released until August 18, 2021. In its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF called upon the U.S. government to increase funding for religious freedom projects in Vietnam. This past June, USCIRF released a country update about religious prisoners of conscience in Vietnam. In addition, USCIRF Vice Chair Anurima Bhargava adopted Hoa Hao Buddhist lawyer Nguyen Bac Truyen. ### 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 religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at media@uscirf.gov or Danielle Ashbahian at dashbahian@uscirf.gov.
Vietnam Annual Report Chapters and Translations
August 19, 2020
Title 2021 Annual Report - Vietnam Chapter File Upload Vietnam Chapter AR2021.pdf Language English Year 2021 Cover Image Title 2021 Annual Report - Vietnam Vietnamese Translation File Upload Vietnam 2021_CPC_Vietnamese.pdf Language Vietnamese Year 2021 Cover Image Title Vietnam Chapter - 2020 Vietnamese Translation File Upload Vietnam_Vietnamese.pdf Language Vietnamese Year 2020 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Chapter - 2020 Vietnamese Translation Title Vietnam Chapter - 2020 Annual Report File Upload Vietnam.pdf Language English Year 2020 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Chapter - 2020 Annual Report Title Vietnam Chapter - 2019 Vietnamese Translation File Upload Vietnam 2019_Vientnamese translation.pdf Language Vietnamese Year 2019 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Chapter - 2019 Vietnamese Translation Title Vietnam Chapter - 2019 Annual Report File Upload Tier1_VIETNAM_2019.pdf Language English Year 2019 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Chapter - 2019 Annual Report Title Vietnam Chapter - 2018 Vietnamese Translation File Upload Vietnam 2018_Vietnamese.pdf Language Vietnamese Year 2018 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Chapter - 2018 Vietnamese Translation Title Vietnam Chapter - 2018 French Translation File Upload Vietnam 2018_French.pdf Language French Year 2018 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Chapter - 2018 French Translation Title Vietnam Chapter - 2018 Annual Report File Upload Tier1_VIETNAM.pdf Language English Year 2018 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Chapter - 2018 Annual Report Title Vietnam Chapter - 2017 Vietnamese Translation File Upload Vietnam Vietnamese translation.pdf Language Vietnamese Year 2017 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Chapter - 2017 Vietnamese Translation Title Vietnam Chapter - 2017 Annual Report File Upload Vietnam.2017.pdf Language English Year 2017 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Chapter - 2017 Annual Report Title Vietnam Chapter - 2016 Vietnamese Translation File Upload Vietnam 2016_Vietnamese.pdf Language Vietnamese Year 2016 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Chapter - 2016 Vietnamese Translation Title Vietnam Chapter - 2016 Annual Report File Upload USCIRF_AR_2016_Tier1_2_Vietnam.pdf Language English Year 2016 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Chapter - 2016 Annual Report Title Vietnam - 2015 Annual Report (Vietnamese Translation) File Upload Vietnam 2015_Vietnamese.pdf Language Vietnamese Year 2015 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2015 Annual Report (Vietnamese Translation) Title Vietnam - 2015 Annual Report File Upload Vietnam 2015.pdf Language English Year 2015 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2015 Annual Report Title Vietnam - 2014 Annual Report (Vietnamese Translation) File Upload Vietnam 2014 - Vietnamese Translation.pdf Language Vietnamese Year 2014 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2014 Annual Report (Vietnamese Translation) Title Vietnam - 2014 Annual Report File Upload Vietnam 2014.pdf Language English Year 2014 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2014 Annual Report Title Vietnam Summary - 2013 Annual Report File Upload VIETNAM 2 pager 2013 final.pdf Language English Year 2013 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Summary - 2013 Annual Report Title Vietnam - 2013 Annual Report File Upload Vietnam 2013.pdf Language English Year 2013 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2013 Annual Report Title Vietnam - 2012 Annual Report File Upload vietnam 2012.pdf Language English Year 2012 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2012 Annual Report Title Vietnam Summary - 2012 Annual Report File Upload vietnam 2012 two-pager.pdf Language English Year 2012 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Summary - 2012 Annual Report Title Vietnam Summary - 2011 Annual Report File Upload Vietnam at a glance summary 2011.pdf Language English Year 2011 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam Summary - 2011 Annual Report Title Vietnam - 2011 Annual Report File Upload vietnam2011.pdf Language English Year 2011 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2011 Annual Report Title Vietnam - 2010 Annual Report File Upload vietnam2010.pdf Language English Year 2010 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2010 Annual Report Title Vietnam - 2009 Annual Report (Vietnamese) File Upload vietnam in vietnamese.pdf Language Vietnamese Year 2009 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2009 Annual Report (Vietnamese) Title Vietnam - 2009 Annual Report (English) File Upload vietnam.pdf Language English Year 2009 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2009 Annual Report (English) Title Vietnam - 2008 Annual Report File Upload vietnamar2008_full color.pdf Language English Year 2008 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2008 Annual Report Title Vietnam - 2007 Annual Report File Upload vietnam.pdf Language English Year 2007 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2007 Annual Report Title Vietnam - 2006 Annual Report File Upload vietnam.pdf Language English Year 2006 Cover Image Old nid Vietnam - 2006 Annual Report