Despite a suggestion at the beginning of this month that Viet Nam was liberalizing its treatment of Protestant groups (see prior posting), Radio Free Asia today carried a long report from three provinces on harassment and beatings of Protestants as well as attempts to force them to renounce their beliefs. Viet Nam remains listed by the United States as a "country of particular concern" on issues of religious freedom (see prior posting).
UPDATE 5/26/05: Vietnamese Foreign Ministry defends religious rights situation in Viet Nam after critical 2005 Amnesty International Report.
