On 22 May, the Mennonite Church of Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City was the subject of a violent raid by an estimated 50 public security officials, in connection with a grievance against a building permit being used by the church.

During the attack on the church and office building in Binh Khanh Ward, District 2, the security officials used considerable force, reportedly beating church members and construction workers alike. According to the 8406 Group of democracy activists in Vietnam, a number of church members were badly injured as a result of being pushed from a height of five metres to the concrete floor.

A number of church members were arrested, including former Mennonite prisoners Nguyen Hong Quang, Pham Ngoc Thach, Nguyen Huu Nghia and Le Thi Hong Lien. All had been released by the following evening.

According to Compass Direct News, the Rev. Quang had secured a building permit, dated 8 May, for the rebuilding of the church. During the raid, authorities claimed that the construction work exceeded the scope of the permit.

The ultimate motivation for the incident is difficult to determine, though some observers have suggested it may be rooted in the hostility of local officials towards the church.

This incident comes as Vietnam reaches the final stages of accession to the World Trade Organisation.

Tina Lambert, Advocacy Director at CSW, said 'This is a disturbingly draconian response by the officials to a relatively minor issue. As Vietnam looks to claim the benefits of World Trade Organisation membership, this must be accompanied by a much greater respect for the rights of its citizens. We hope that this issue is resolved without further complications.'

Notes to editors.

The Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang and five others were imprisoned after being sentenced to terms ranging from six months to three years in connection with an incident in March 2004. Pham Ngoc Thach was the last of the six to be released, on 3 March 2006. CSW advocated for the release of the six.

During the imprisonment of the Rev. Quang, the Mennonite church in Ho Chi Minh City had been raided routinely by local officials.

8406 Group is the name adopted by the signatories of the 8 April 2006 'Declaration on Democracy and Freedom for Vietnam'. The Rev. Quang and his wife had signed this declaration.