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Security Attempts to Cover-Up the Killing of Montagnard Christian named K’pa Lot

Montagnard Christian Prisoner Tortured to Death by Vietnamese Officials



imageHis last words described how he endured daily torture sessions and how he was kept in isolation from other prisoners and international monitors. March 11, 2010 another Montagnard Christian named K’pa Lot died from torture and abuse in a Vietnamese prison. Security officials have long hid the abuse and attempted to cover-up the circumstances surrounding his death. K’pa Lot was born in 1979 and was from the village of Plei Thoh, commune Nhan Hoa, Cu Se district in Gia Lai province. He was arrested on May 20th, 2007 and imprisoned in Phu Yen province for publicly supporting religious freedom.

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On the verge of death from internal bleeding, K’Pa Lot was taken to a hospital in Pleiku city on March 9th, 2010. When Lot Kpa’s family saw him, they could not recognize him. He was swollen and bruises were all over his body and face. He could not move, eat, and could barely speak. Security forces stood guard during the family’s visitation. K’Pa Lot whispered to his wife in his native language and told her about how he was regularly tortured inside prison. He stated he was mistreated and beaten on a daily basis by the authorities. He said they beat him with whatever they had in their hands as if they wanted him to die. These beating sessions were kept secret. He was kept apart from the rest of the prison population and hidden whenever community and international agencies came to monitor prison conditions. K’pa Lot died on March 11, 2010 at 10am. The security officials forced the family to quickly bury his body immediately, saying that he needed to be buried soon because of his sins. The family cried and pleaded with the security forces to allow them to take the body home for a proper burial but the security officials refused. The next day, K’Pa Lot was buried. Seven security forces surrounded the burial site. Security officials were very careful to prevent any evidence from being obtained regarding their abuse of K’pa Lot. K’Pa Lot is survived by his wife, H’Nguen and two children, H’Danh and Y-Ly.

THE MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION URGENTLY CALLS ON:

  • Concerned Embassies, US State Department, European Commission, United Nations, Red Cross and other international humanitarian agencies to investigate K’pa Lot death and do everything in their power to prevent the hundreds of other Montagnards in prison from suffering a similar fate.
  • Concerned Embassies, US State Department, European Commission, United Nations, Red Cross and other international humanitarian agencies demand Vietnam release and account for all the hundreds of other Degar prisoners imprisoned in Vietnam.
  • The US State Department including Ambassador Michael Michalak seriously review the hundreds of Degar Montagnards imprisoned in Vietnam and place Vietnam back on the ‘Country of Particular Concern’ watch list as recommended by the US International Commission of Religious Freedom.


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Scott Johnson -- Bio and Archives

Scott Johnson is a lawyer, writer and human rights activist who has focused on issues in South East Asia.


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