At least 90 Christians were arrested throughout Laos in recent weeks, according to an August 8 report from Compass Direct.
On July 21, residents of Katin village in Saravan province killed a Christian man by pouring rice wine down his throat. Eighty local Christians were then arrested by authorities. On July 25, officials rounded up 17 Christian families in the village and detained them in a local school compound, denying them food for three days in an attempt to force the adults to sign documents renouncing their faith. Ten families eventually signed the documents and were allowed to return home. The remaining families were evicted from the village.
Six local Christians in Boukham village, Savannakhet province were arrested in the first week of August, including the pastor of a house church. On August 1, two believers were arrested and detained in a prison in Ad-Sapangthong district on the charge of "believing in Jesus and worshiping God." The next day, a Christian woman was also arrested and imprisoned on the same charge. The following day authorities arrested Pastor Sompong and two young believers during a worship service in his home.
Pray that those detained will be released. Pray that Christians in Laos will be strong and bold in the face of severe persecution (Revelations 2:9-10).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Laos, go to the Laos Country Report.
Current Ministry Project
VOMC is working with an international partner to provide New Testaments to persecuted Christians, new believers, and those who are earnestly seeking Christ. We believe that the Word of God is a vital tool in combating persecution by helping believers grow in maturity to the fullness of Christ.
Legal system Civil law system similar in form to the French system
Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Laos
Pray for strength and courage for Christians as they continue to face pressure and imprisonment for their faith.
Pray for the government of Laos -- that those in power will continue to improve policies and activities, recognizing the need for freedom for all their citizens.
Pastor Sithong at a wedding in 2018. Photo: Radio Free Asia
On March 15th, 2020, Pastor Sithong Theppavong was approached by authorities who demanded that he agree to no longer hold worship services at a small church in Savannakhet Province, Laos (see this report). When Pastor Sithong refused, he wa
Earlier in 2020, it was reported that Sithong Theppavong, the pastor of a small church in a farming area of Savannakhet Province, received repeated warnings to cease his ministry. On March 15th, 2020, he was arrested without any indication of charges. For more details on his arrest, visit VOMC's pr
Local authorities in the Laotian province of Salavan chased seven Christians from their homes, forcing them to live within makeshift huts in the woods, all because these believers refused to renounce their faith. The Christians were members of two families from the village of Pasing-Kang. Since thei
To date, Nang Tookta Phetsomphone has spent almost six months in a Laotian prison after her former employer was stabbed and killed during his attempt to rape the young woman. In order to be released from custody, her family must pay a fine of $11,000 USD and renounce their faith in Christ. Since our