On 21 June 2024, local Christian leader Han* was arrested and jailed alongside five believers from his village in the central region of Laos. They were incarcerated in the district prison for defying orders from authorities to renounce their faith. The official reason for the arrested is non-specific, but believers think the aim of the arrest is to stop the expansion of Christianity since it is growing very fast.
On the day of the arrest, police visited believers in central Laos, including Han, a Christian community leader, ordering them to renounce Christianity.
Souphanphon*, an Open Doors’ local partner shares, “When the believers refused to recant their faith, they were immediately arrested, all six men, including Mr. Han. They were brought to the district prison.”
Two days later, the local authorities returned to Han’s house to search and investigate his Christian activities.
“They took a guitar and an offering bag from Han’s house,” confirms another local Christian leader. “No one dared to question them while they investigated the house without a proper warrant.”
Long before he was arrested, Han received several warnings about his Christian activities. He has served as a Christian leader for a long time, leading many people to the Lord. The authorities have told him and other believers to abandon Jesus Christ, but they refuse to listen.
In Chains for Christ
“Han was separated from other believers and put in solitary confinement,” a local leader reported on 8 July this year. “His hands and feet were chained before he was taken to his cell.”
Authorities banned anyone from visiting the imprisoned believers and refused to grant their bail applications. The police insisted that only people outside the jail could start the bail process.
An Open Doors’ local partner worked closely with other Christians in the area to help bail two of the believers out of jail. These two believers further worked to help release the remaining four men on bail.
Praise the Lord, through the hard work of two believers who were first released and their negotiation with officers, all imprisoned believers have been released.
*Names changed for security purposes.
Pray for Laos
- Pray for the believers who have been released, that God will strengthen their faith and protect them.
- Pray for leaders like Han to continue serving the Lord and encouraging their churches.
- Pray for Christians in Laos suffering persecution from their communities and authorities.
Stay updated with the latest prayer requests from the persecuted church.
