Pastor sentenced to 7.5 years in Vietnam prison

Pastor B’Kun has been condemned to seven and a half years in prison after his trial in August, exacerbating fears and concerns for the future of religious freedom amongst believers in the area – please pray.

Pastor B’Kun has been sentenced to seven years and six months in prison, followed by four years of probation, for accusations of ‘undermining the national unity policy’. 

B’Kun is a leader of a small, unregistered house church and has come under government fire in recent years for organising gatherings of tribal believers. In October 2025, he was arrested for allegedly speaking out against the government and promoting religious freedom, having been publicly denounced by authorities. At the time, B’Kun gave the bold statement: “My church members and I just want the freedom to worship God. We don’t want to get involved in what the local authorities say. Maybe we’ve learned things related to human rights, and the officials don’t like that. They want to merge our church with the biggest denomination so they can monitor us easily. But our vision and mission are different.” 

In the months that B’Kun waited for his trial, other members of his community were arrested for their faith – and some have even been beaten to death. Pastor Nhan*, a local partner of Open Doors, shares: “During Pastor B’Khun’s detention, we didn’t receive any information about him and the penalty he might face. We could only pray for him and his family.” 

At last, the trial took place last month – and resulted in a hefty prison sentence. 

Prayers for justice 

Pastor B’Kun’s sentencing is amplifying the concerns of the Christian community in Vietnam, especially as it concerns the religious activities and freedoms of ethnic minority believers in the country’s Central Highlands. Many have denounced the government’s actions and hold to the belief that such serious allegations should be supported by clear evidence.  

Believers also question what the case could mean for the daily life of Christians in the region. If the distinction between religious practice and threats to national security is not clearly defined in the eyes of the Vietnamese government, ethnic or religious minority communities are increasingly vulnerable to injustice. 

“In response to this situation, most house churches have encouraged believers to continue praying in a spirit of peace, love and trust in God,” Pastor Nhan affirms. “We pray that truth, justice and fairness will prevail in all matters.” 

*Name changed for security reasons