Vietnamese police disrupted a Catholic home church service in Thái Nguyên province, northern Vietnam, at around 8:30pm on 11 August.
Around 20 Catholics, including children, were attending Mass at a parishioner’s home in Bình Khang village, Đại Từ commune, when the electricity was suddenly cut. Police and local officials entered the building and ordered the service to stop.
According to Radio Free Asia, a Facebook Live video recorded by the priest showed a local official telling him to stop filming. The priest refused, saying he was recording his fellow believers.
By 10:30pm, the priest reported that police had taken three people to the local police station: the leader of the local Catholic community, the homeowner, and another attendee. He said he was blocked from meeting them while they were questioned.
The reason for the raid remains unclear. In one video, a local official asked attendees about their place of origin, while others insisted they were local residents. In Vietnam, religious gatherings are sometimes refused authorisation if attendees are not registered in the same jurisdiction.
The Bac Ninh Diocese, which oversees the area, reposted the video online, where it gained 60,000 views in two hours.
Catholicism in northern Vietnam dates back to 17th-century European missionaries and grew under French colonial rule. It faced heavy restrictions after the 1954 division of the country, with the Communist Party viewing it as a foreign influence. Today, most Catholic churches are registered with the state, though challenges remain for some communities.
The incident comes amid major administrative reforms that will cut Vietnam’s provinces from 63 to 34 and abolish district-level government. Observers warn this could weaken local understanding and protection of minority faith communities.
Mervyn Thomas, founder president of CSW, said the changes risk increasing centralised control over religious groups and removing local avenues for legal protection. He urged Vietnam to ensure full freedom of religion or belief for all citizens, in line with international human rights standards.
Adapted from CSW.
