Lao Police Arrest Pastors for copying Christian CDs
By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
VIENTIANE, LAOS (Worthy News)– Savannakhet province police arrested and detained three Christian pastors for evangelizing after they made copies of a Christian CD in a local shop in the Phin district market.
After the copies were “burned,” the pastors were spotted by police as they watched one CD to ensure it was completely copied; in the meanwhile, the police contacted Lieutenant Khamvee who, accompanied by two deputies, stormed the shop and arrested the pastors.
The shop owner was later released after being taken to the police station for questioning, but Pastor Bounma of Alowmai Village Church, Pastor Somkaew of Kengsainoi Village Church and Pastor Bounmee of Savet Village Church are still being held in the Phin district prison; although the pastors said they made only three copies so that they could view them in the privacy of their own homes, police insisted they were spreading the Christianity portrayed in the duplicated “End Times” CD.
Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom is calling on the Lao government to release the pastors and to reprimand Lieutenant Khamvee and his two deputies for abusing their authority.