Father Nguyen Van Ly

Update February 16, 2011

Father Nguyen, now 64, has warned that he will go on a hunger strike and refuse medical treatment if he is readmitted to jail on March 15, 2011. He was released March 15, 2010 to undergo a year's medical treatment after suffering two serious strokes that left him partially paralyzed.

Nguyen Van Ly has previously served a total of 15 years in jail, including years in solitary confinement. While on medical leave, authorities have prevented the pastor from giving interviews or meeting activists. CSW reported a US diplomat who attempted to visit was roughed up by police.

Prisoner Details

On Feb. 19, 2007, Father Nguyen Van Ly was arrested in Hue, Vietnam for distributing material “harmful to the state.” In March, he was sentenced to eight years in prison. He has issued statements criticizing the government’s confiscation of church property, lack of seminary training and the influence of the state in church teachings.