Vietnamese Pastor Released from Prison After 12 Years 

 

By ICC Staff | June 6, 2025 

Y Yich, pastor of the Degar Protestant Church in Vietnam, has been released from prison after serving 12 years behind bars for his Christian faith. 

Vietnamese authorities detained Yich on May 13, 2013, for “spreading Degar Protestantism, a religious movement not approved by the government, communicating on the internet with Montagnard pastors and separatists living in the United States, and meeting with prisoners of conscience.”  

Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., began advocating for Yich’s release through the Defending Freedoms Project of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in 2022. 

In an email to International Christian Concern (ICC), Grothman’s office confirmed that Yich was released in mid-May. 

“I’m deeply relieved to learn of the release of Vietnamese prisoner of conscience Y Yich,” Grothman stated. “In 2022, I was proud to sponsor Y Yich after learning of his unjust imprisonment for simply practicing his Christian faith. He served twelve unnecessary years in prison, and his release this May was long overdue. No one should ever be persecuted, tortured, or imprisoned because of their religious beliefs.” 

Vietnam’s communist government tightly controls religion due to its dictatorial paranoia of any group seeking God over its regime and potentially calling out its human rights abuses. 

Christians have become particular targets of discrimination, maltreatment, and imprisonment in the Southeast Asian nation due to their allegiance to Christ and the fear that provokes within the Communist Party. 

“Y Yich’s story serves as a reminder of the brutal reality of communism and its long record of human rights abuses around the world,” Grothman declared. “America’s greatness stems from being a nation that protects religious freedom and embraces faith as a cornerstone of its identity, as our founders intended. That’s why the United States must remain steadfast in condemning authoritarian regimes and defending religious freedom wherever it is under threat.” 

Yich allegedly endured torture during his imprisonment and was reportedly not allowed access to proper healthcare, though he suffers from several health issues. 

According to Grothman’s office, “while there’s no update yet on [Yich’s] health or well-being, [they] remain hopeful.” 

“I hope Y Yich can now experience the peace and dignity he has long been denied,” Grothman stated. “Sadly, we know that the Vietnamese government often continues to closely monitor former prisoners. I urge the U.S. and the international community to stand with those, like Y Yich, who courageously fight for the right to worship freely.” 

This article originally appeared at persecution.org and has been reprinted with permission.

Founded in 1995, International Christian Concern (ICC) is a Christian organization. It’s an ecumenical, non-governmental, and non-partisan organization focused on protecting the human rights of Christians and religious minorities

 

 

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