11th February, 2013
Three Christian pastors in Laos have been arrested for “spreading the Christian religion” by reproducing a DVD of a Christian film, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
The organisation reported that Pastor Bounma of Alowmai Village Church, Pastor Somkaew of Kengsainoi Village Church and Pastor Bounmee of Savet Village Church, were arrested on 5th February by the Phin District police in Savannakhet province.
According to its sources, the pastors took a DVD copy of a film about the “End Times” to a shop in Phin District market in order to make three copies. After the copies were made, the owner of the shop, along with the three pastors, watched one of the DVDs but were seen by a police officer who contacted his superiors. The three pastors were subsequently arrested and detained in the local prison.
While the pastors claimed that the three copies were for their own use, CSW says authorities have insisted that they were "spreading the Christian religion" through the film.
While Laos’ 1991 constitution guarantees citizens the right to “believe or not to believe in religions”, a 2002 decree places significant restrictions on the activities of religious believers including the printing of religious literature and the possession of books and films which have "characteristics of superstitions…or distortions of truth”.
Andrew Johnston, advocacy director at CSW, says the organisation is "deeply concerned" about the arrests, which "highlight the restrictions placed on the reproduction and dissemination of religious materials".
"The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified by Laos in 2009, protects the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the public manifestation of religion and the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds in any media," he says.
"We urge the Lao authorities to release the three men immediately and to lift restrictions on the reproduction and dissemination of religious materials, in line with its obligations under the ICCPR.”
– DAVID ADAMS
