A young Montagnard Christian man has died in a Vietnamese prison because of torture and abuse, the latest in a series of attacks on Christian prisoners in the communist-run nation, representatives said Wednesday, April 28.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife

HANOI, VIETNAM (BosNewsLife)– A young Montagnard Christian man has died in a Vietnamese prison because of torture and abuse, the latest in a series of attacks on Christian prisoners in the communist-run nation, representatives said Wednesday, April 28.

The Christian, identified as Christian named 31-year-old K’pa Lot, died March 11 but details only emerged much later, suggested the Montagnard Foundation Incorporated (MFI), which represents the predominantly Degar-Montagnards, an ethnic group living mainly in Vietnam’s Central Highlands.

“Security officials have long hid the abuse and attempted to cover-up the circumstances surrounding his death,” said MFI.

K’pa Lot, from the village of Plei Thoh in Gia Lai province, was detained in May, 2007, for “publicly supporting religious freedom” and moved to a prison in Phu Yen province MFI said.

INTERNAL BLEEDING

After a period of abuse there and “on the verge of death from internal bleeding, K’Pa Lot was taken to a hospital in Pleiku city on March 9” shortly before he died, MFI said.

“When Lot Kpa’s family saw him, they could not recognize him. He was swollen and bruises were all over his body and face. He could not move, eat, and could barely speak. Security forces stood guard during the family’s visitation. K’Pa Lot whispered to his wife
in his native language and told her about how he was regularly tortured inside prison,” MFI told BosNewsLife in a statement.

“He stated he was mistreated and beaten on a daily basis by the authorities. He said they beat him with whatever they had in their hands as if they wanted him to die.”

“SECRET BEATINGS”

MFI said that the “beating sessions were kept secret.” The Christian was allegedly kept apart from the rest of the prison population “and hidden whenever community and international agencies came to monitor prison conditions.”

When he eventually died on March 11, at 10am local time, “security officials forced the family to quickly bury his body…saying that he needed to be buried soon because of his sins. The family cried and pleaded with the security forces to allow them to take the body home for a proper burial, but the security officials refused,” MFI added

The next day, K’Pa Lot was reportedly buried with seven security forces surrounding the site.

FULL STORY

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