Following the arrest of 11 Lao Christians at gunpoint Jan. 4, three house church leaders remain behind bars for “holding a secret meeting,” according to advocacy group Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF).
Lao authorities released six of the house church Christians, including two children ages 4 and 8, from Khammouan Provincial Prison, central Laos on Dec. 6. Two other men were released Jan. 5.
The charge against the three church leaders is a political offense punishable by law, HRWLRF said.
Authorities first detained the 11 Christians after they gathered at the home of a pastor in Nakoon village for delayed Christmas celebrations, according to HRWLRF.
In December, Wanna informed authorities that church members would gather at his home Jan. 5 to celebrate Christmas, in line with official celebrations by the government-approved Lao Evangelical Church scheduled between Dec. 5 and Jan. 15.
A truckload of district police officers with guns cocked and ready to shoot burst into Wanna’s house after dark Jan. 4 shouting, “Stop! Nobody move!” They then forcibly detained the 11 who were quietly sharing an evening meal and charged them with conducting a “secret meeting” without approval.
HRWLRF has called for urgent advocacy for the three, on the grounds that officials have charged them with a political offense that may lead to harsh prison terms. (CDN)
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