Pastor Siu Yúi is 68, and Gia Lai arrested him for what he preached

On 1 June 2026 the police in Gia Lai arrested Pastor Siu Yúi, aged 68, and Siu Dok, aged 40, of his congregation. The state says they used religious teaching to move highland people towards separation.

Where things stand

Pastor Siu Yúi is 68 years old. Siu Dok, 40, is a member of his church. Both are Montagnard Christians who had declined to join a State-controlled church. They were arrested in Gia Lai province on 1 June 2026 under Article 116.

The authorities allege that they used religious teachings to mobilise and encourage ethnic minorities towards secession and independence. Christian Solidarity Worldwide, which reported the arrests, noted that Article 116 has repeatedly been used against members of ethnic and religious minority communities, and called for due process and for Vietnam to amend provisions inconsistent with its obligations under international human rights law.

What we are reporting, and what we are not

The arrests, the ages, the province, the date and the charge are reported by CSW and cited below. We have not seen the sermons or teachings the allegation refers to, and no evidence for the accusation has been made public. We do not know where the two men are held.

Why it matters

Article 116 turns preaching into secession without having to prove that anyone attempted to secede. A sixty-eight-year-old pastor and one of his members can be removed from a village on the strength of what the state says their faith implies. That is not a charge a congregation can defend itself against by behaving differently.

Sources

• Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Vietnam: Montagnard pastor and congregant arrested for ‘undermining national unity’
• International Christian Concern, Two More Vietnamese Christians Detained in Central Highlands