A court in Vietnam’s Dak Lak province has sentenced 59-year-old Protestant pastor Y Nien Ayun, a member of the Montagnard people, to seven and a half years in prison. The authorities accused him of activities that allegedly “undermine the policy of national unity.”

The report was published by the inVictory portal.

The pastor’s church believes that the harsh sentence is intended to intimidate other believers and force them to abandon their religious activities.

According to Vietnamese state media, Y Nien Ayun had been engaged in unregistered Protestant activities since 2003. The authorities later linked him to a man named A Ga, who lives in the United States. Vietnamese authorities accuse A Ga of supporting separatist activities through Protestant communities in the Central Highlands.

Investigators alleged that since 2019, the pastor had helped establish and lead an organization called the “Central Highlands Church of Christ.” According to the prosecution, he maintained contact with A Ga over religious activities, organized gatherings of believers, met with them in person and online, recruited new members, provided information to international human rights organizations, and collected donations for the organization.

The authorities claim that the pastor collected more than 7.7 million Vietnamese dong in total, or about $294. According to the prosecution, the purpose of these activities was to establish a separate religious organization for members of the region’s ethnic minorities.

The prosecution charged the pastor under Article 116 of Vietnam’s Criminal Code, which provides for liability for actions aimed at “undermining the policy of national unity.”

Human rights defenders warn that such charges allow the authorities to use national security and the fight against separatism to restrict religious freedom. The case of Y Nien Ayun is another example of Protestant communities in the Central Highlands coming under increased pressure from the state.

As LF reported, Vietnamese authorities are attempting to “politicize and demonize” ordinary religious life, particularly among members of ethnic minorities. The human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) made the statement.