Case in focus: Vietnam

Y Quynh Bdap is a Christian and a human rights defender from Vietnam. Despite being a UN-recognised refugee, Mr Bdap was arrested in Thailand in June 2024. Thailand does not give legal protection to refugees, and when Mr Bdap was unable to show a valid visa, he was detained on immigration grounds. 

After his arrest, the government of Vietnam requested his extradition on spurious terrorism charges. Yet there were fears he would face torture if returned. In September 2024, a Thai judge ruled that Mr Bdap could be sent back to Vietnam as soon as the Thai Prime Minister had signed the extradition order. He remained in jail for more than a year, knowing he was perilously close to being deported back to danger. 

Sadly, Mr Bdap’s appeal was rejected. He was handed over to Vietnamese authorities and flown back to Vietnam on 28 November 2025. At the time of writing, his exact whereabouts are unknown. 

Mr Bdap is the founder of Montagnards Stand for Justice (MSFJ). This is a non-violent organisation which defends the rights of the Montagnard minority ethnic group. The Vietnamese government declared MSFJ to be a terrorist organisation in March 2024. 

Mr Bdap and MSFJ are clearly being targeted for defending human rights. MSFJ methodically records and reports on the Vietnamese government’s targeted harassment of the Montagnards, who are a predominantly Christian indigenous group from Vietnam’s Central Highlands.

Facts and stats

Nicaragua- 

220 separate freedom of religion or belief cases recorded by CSW in 2024. Most cases involved multiple violations, and some affected thousands of people.

Indonesia- 

Only six religions are officially recognised by Indonesia: Buddhism, Catholicism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam and Protestantism. All other faiths face systemic exclusion and legal uncertainty.

The Ahmadiyya community has existed in Indonesia since 1925 and has a population of approximately 500,000 across 330 branches throughout the country. Despite identifying as Muslim, they are perceived as heretics by the majority Sunni Muslim population. Since 2005, the Ahmadiyya community has experienced serious violations of freedom of religion or belief, including incidents of violence.

Source: CSW general briefing, May 2025

Sri Lanka-

• 43 incidents of religious violence and intolerance were reported against Christians in Sri Lanka in 2024. Source: CSW general briefing (May 2025)
• Research by the National Christian Evangelical Alliance Sri Lanka indicates that state actors, particularly the police, are the main perpetrators of violations against religious minorities.
  
• Sri Lanka ranked low on the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, which measures the level of media freedom in 180 countries and territories. Sri Lanka was 139 on the list.  Source: Reporters Without Borders