Religion Bulletin - March 2025 Government Demolished KonTum Diocese Building; Vietnamese Buddhist Streamlines Its Structure
Key Religious Event:
- Authorities continue to harass followers of Pure Hòa Hảo Buddhism.
- USCIRF recommends adding Vietnam to the list of Countries of Particular Concern.
Deputy Minister Nguyễn Hải Trung Oversees the Government Committee for Religious Affairs
On March 7, 2025, Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Đào Ngọc Dung signed Decision No.89/QD-BDTTG, assigning Deputy Nguyễn Hải Trung to oversee the Government Committee for Religious Affairs.
Nguyễn Hải Trung has a background in the police force, holding the rank of Lieutenant General. Before becoming Deputy Minister, he served as the police chief of Thanh Hóa Province and Hà Nội City.
Previously, the Government Committee for Religious Affairs was an administrative body under the Ministry of Home Affairs, led by Deputy Minister Vũ Chiến Thắng, who is also a former police general.
The current head of the committee is Vũ Hoài Bắc, a police colonel appointed in 2022.
The government's continued appointment of police officers to manage religious affairs indicates that religious security remains a significant concern within the political system.
Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Begins to Streamline its Organizational Structure
On March 21, 2025, Giác Ngộ newspaper reported that the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha will restructure its organization to align with the government’s ongoing administrative streamlining.
Specifically, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha will reduce its management structure to only two levels, similar to the government’s simplified model.
According to the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, there will no longer be district-level branches. Instead, only provincial and grassroots level structures will remain. Likewise, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha will no longer hold district-level congresses, following the government's approach.
According to observations from Luật Khoa Magazine, this move by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha reinforces concerns about the organization’s lack of independence from the state.
The Vietnam Buddhist organization has been officially recognized by the government since its founding in 1981. Since then, it has maintained close ties with the authorities. Recently, the Sangha has faced heavy public criticism due to accusations that some monks were involved in the ‘three poisons’ (greed, hatred, delusion), promoting superstition, and misrepresenting Buddhist teachings.
Government Demolishes Building at Yao Phu School Belonging to Kon Tum Diocese
According to official information, Yao Phu Kuênot School was built in 1906 and served as the first bishop’s headquarters for the Kon Tum Diocese. The demolished building, constructed in 1957, was located within the school grounds.
On January 20, 1978, the government took over the Yao Phu Kuênot School, and it has remained under state control since then.
The Kon Tum Diocese has repeatedly submitted petitions to reclaim the Yao Phu Kuênot School, but the government has denied the requests.
Since the issuance of Resolution 297/HĐBT on November 11, 1977, many religious institutions, such as schools, clinics, and cultural centers, have been taken over by the state. Some have been turned into government offices, hotels, or even high-end residential areas.
Authorities Continue to Harass Followers of Pure Hòa Hảo Buddhism
According to the Pure Hoa Hao Buddhism, on Feb. 25, 2025, authorities in An Giang Province went to the home of Phong Xuân, a follower, to stop him from holding a ceremony commemorating the Day of Absence of their founder, Huỳnh Phú Sổ, presumingly killed by the communists.
Officials also ordered him to take down banners and said they did not recognize the "Day of Absence" as an official religious holiday. Phong Xuan refused to comply.
In Can Tho City, local authorities worked with the state-recognized Hòa Hảo Buddhism to prevent Đặng Văn Giàn, another follower, from holding a similar ceremony.
They issued a written warning, stating that his banners about the "Day of Absence" violated regulations. Authorities emphasized that religious freedom must operate within the state's legal framework.
Pure Hoa Hao Buddhism also reported that this year's memorial of the Day of Absence, the government set up checkpoints and stationed guards outside the homes of their followers.
The "Day of Absence" commemorates the disappearance of Huỳnh Phú Sổ after a meeting with the Việt Minh. Before 1975, it was one of the three main holidays in the religion. However, since the state recognized Hòa Hảo Buddhism established in 1999, this memorial day has no longer been officially recognized.
As a result, every year during this anniversary, followers of the Pure Hòa Hảo Buddhism often face surveillance, interference, and sometimes even repression from the authorities.
USCIRF Recommends Việt Nam to be listed in the Countries of Particular Concern List
On March 25, 2025, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2025 annual report. The report highlights increasing government repression of independent religious communities in Vietnam and recommends that the country be designated as a Country of Particular Concern – CPC
As of December 2024, the report notes that Vietnamese authorities had imprisoned over 80 individuals for religious activities or for advocating religious freedom. Notable cases include:
In March 2024, the government sentenced Y Krec Bya, a Montagnard Christian affiliated with an independent church, to 13 years in prison
In April 2024, authorities charged 92-year-old Lê Tùng Vân, head of the Bồng Lai Temple, with incest
In May 2024, the Trà Vinh provincial court upheld similar charges against Khmer Krom religious freedom activists Thạch Cương and Tô Hoàng Chương.
The report also says that Montagnard and Hmong Christians in the Central Highlands and Northwest Vietnam are often persecuted. This includes being detained, arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and forced to give up their faith. Some examples include:
In January 2024, the government sentenced religious freedom activist Nay Y Blang to over four years in prison. He was charged with "abusing democratic freedoms to harm the State and others’ legal rights"
In March 2024, preacher Y Bum Bya died after being summoned by the authorities
In September 2024, authorities in Đắk Lắk arrested Y Thịnh Nie, a member of an independent Protestant church, because he refused many times to join the state approved church.
The government also pressured Thailand to extradite Montagnard religious freedom activist Y Quỳnh Bdap, who could face harsh punishment if returned to Vietnam
The report also highlights ongoing government pressure on Buddhist and Cao Đài groups over the past year. Some examples include:
- In March 2024, the government demolished part of Đại Thọ Pagoda after arresting the abbot, Thạch Chanh Đa Ra, a Khmer Krom Buddhist monk. He was charged with “abusing democratic freedoms.”
- In June 2024, authorities in Thừa Thiên Huế blocked the activities of monk Thích Minh Tuệ and his followers.
- In April 2024, officials in An Giang Province banned independent Hòa Hảo Buddhists from holding a memorial ceremony for Huỳnh Phú Sổ, the religion’s founder.
The Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam has also faced persistent obstacles and harassment in carrying out its religious activities.
Authorities and followers of the 1997 Cao Đài that were under the control of the state have harassed independent Cao Đài followers. These followers were prevented from visiting temples, performing religious rituals, and holding funeral ceremonies.
In May 2024, authorities interrogated Trần Văn Đức after he met with US consulate staff in April to discuss the ongoing harassment of independent Cao Đài followers
In January 2024, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken again placed Vietnam on the Special Watch List (SWL) for religious freedom concerns
As in previous years, the Vietnamese government rejected the findings of USCIRF’s annual report released on March 25, 2025. In an article published by Công an Nhân dân (The People's Police) Newspaper on April 3, 2025, officials claimed the report contained “false and baseless” allegations.
Trà Vinh: Four Khmer Krom Buddhist Followers Arrested
Between March 25 and 26, 2025, authorities in Trà Vinh Province arrested four Khmer Buddhist followers. They were charged with “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe on the interests of the State and the legal rights of others.”
The four individuals are Thạch Nga, Kim Som Rinh, Thạch Xuân Đồng, and Đặng Ngọc Thanh, all live in Trà Vinh Province.
According to the authorities, these individuals frequently posted, shared, and commented on Facebook in ways the government claims violated the law. In particular, Kim Som Rinh, Thạch Nga, and Thạch Xuân Đông regularly posted about religious freedom for Khmer people.
Over the past year, the government has repeatedly arrested and prosecuted Khmer Buddhist followers under Article 331 of Vietnam’s Penal Code for “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe on the interests of the State and the legal rights of organizations and individuals.”
In March 2024, eight Khmer Buddhist followers in Vĩnh Long Province were arrested on similar charges, including “abusing democratic freedoms” and “unlawful arrest or detention.”
In February 2024, authorities in Sóc Trăng sentenced Danh Minh Quang, another Khmer Buddhist follower, to three years and six months in prison under the same law.
Khmer people in Vietnam and Cambodia have at times protested to demand land rights and recognition of indigenous rights. Because of this, the Vietnamese government maintains special policies and tight control over the Khmer community.