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Nguyen Hong Quang, General Secretary of the Mennonite Church in Vietnam, Arrested: Calls on "the Church to Pray for Us"

Nguyen Hong Quang, general secretary of the Mennonite Church in Vietnam, was arrested on Tuesday (June 8) by security police in Ho Chi Minh City.

Reports from Vietnam indicate that police, acting on a court order, arrested him Tuesday afternoon when he was working outside near his home. They later searched his home in District 2 which is also the meeting place of the church he serves as pastor, taking away church documents and equipment.

This follows by three months the arrest of four of his associates who were arrested on March 2, and are still being held without formal charges.

It is believed that the arrest of Pastor Quang, 45, is related to the previous incident. On that occasion, members of the church reported to the local precinct authorities that they were being watched, followed and harassed by unknown persons. This precipitated a large police response when some of the church members were beaten. A church deacon was arrested. When they heard that this man was being beaten, three other young evangelists when to the police station to inquire, and were also detained. At least one of the four men was accused of "opposing persons carrying out official duties." The recent report indicates that Pastor Quang is accused of "inciting people to interfere with an officer doing his duty."

There are credible reports that the four men arrested earlier were severely beaten. Families have not been allowed to visit the men.

In a message sent to a friend one day before his arrest, Pastor Quang wrote: "The Church is now on stormy seas but the boat still goes out. The Lord enables the brothers to row together. Be at peace. I ask you and the Church to pray for us."

— Vietnamese Ministries, June 9, 2004