Laos

By BosNewsLife Asia Service VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Three Lao Christian pastors who were detained in southern Laos in February on charges of “spreading the Christian religion” have been released, Christian rights activists confirmed Monday, April 8.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Seven Christian leaders who were detained and tortured for nearly a month in southern Laos have been released, but concerns remain about "the confiscation" of church buildings, an official assisting them told BosNewsLife Friday, January 13.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- A pastor and six other Christians remained detained in southern Laos early Monday, September 29, after security forces raided their house church as part of a wider crackdown on Christianity in the area, supporters told BosNewsLife.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Authorities in southern Laos have told Christians to recant their faith in Christ or face expulsion from their village amid a wider crackdown on churches, a human rights official and friend of the believers told BosNewsLife.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Several impoverished Christian families in a rural area of Laos were without livestock Sunday, July 12, after authorities slaughtered the animals because they refused to renounce their faith, religious rights investigators said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- The only known Christian in a rural district of northern Laos was under pressure Wednesday, March 7, to abandon his faith in Christ or face expulsion from his village, his supporters told BosNewsLife.  

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Protestant Christians in a southern village of Laos were without a church building Good Friday, after Lao officials closed it down following similar raids on other churches in the area, a well-informed investigator told BosNewsLife.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Dozens of Christian families in a village in Laos have been warned they will lose their homes and remaining live stock unless they abandon Christianity and start worshiping “local spirits” in accordance with Lao traditions, rights investigators said Thursday, July 16.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service VENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Authorities in northern Laos have given 10 Christian families till March 18 to recent their faith in Christ or face expulsion from their village, a group representing the believers told BosNewsLife Friday, February March 2.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service VIENTIANE, LAOS (BosNewsLife)-- Authorities "forced" Christian mourners in southern Laos "to cease practicing their Christian faith" in order to bury a Christian family member, a key human rights official told BosNewsLife Wednesday, December 28.