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Trial of Two Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai Members Moves Forward On May 21, 2025, authorities in Long An Province continued the trial of Lê Tùng Vân for the alleged crime of incest, under Article 184 of the Penal Code. Lê is a member of Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai.

According to the indictment, Vân had incestuous relationships with his two biological daughters, Lê Thanh Kỳ Duyên and Lê Thanh Huyền Trang. Duyên gave birth to two children with Vân, and Thanh had one child with him.

However, Duyên is currently not present at Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai and the authorities have issued a wanted notice for her.

At the trial, Lê Tùng Vân was tried in absentia. After less than two hours, the court sentenced him to three years in prison.

In November 2022, authorities in Long An Province sentenced Vân to five years in prison for “abusing democratic freedoms” to “negatively affect national security, public order, and social safety,” under Clause 2, Article 331 of the Penal Code. That verdict did not mention incest or fraud charges.

The 2022 verdict stated that Lê Tùng Vân was the person who directed the posting of articles and video clips on social media containing insults to the Đức Hòa District Police and defamatory remarks about the Venerable Thích Nhật Từ.

Vân received a total prison sentence of eight years for both charges, but his sentence has been postponed due to old age and poor health.

Only one week later, on May 28, 2025, Long An authorities continued the trial of Lê Thanh Nhất Nguyên for the crime of fraud and appropriation of property, under Article 174 of the Penal Code.

According to the indictment, from 2018 to 2021, Lê Thanh Nhất Nguyên often posted false information on social media, claiming to be a monk to ask for donations and support to raise children with the amount involved of 365 million đồng ($14,000).

Previously, in October 2024, the defense lawyers of Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai accused the authorities of mistreating Lê Thanh Nhất Nguyên while in detention. According to RFA, there were visible injuries on his face and signs that he had been deprived of religious freedom and belief.

In July 2022, the Long An Provincial Court sentenced members of Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai to a total of 23 years and 6 months in prison on the charge of “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state, and the lawful rights and interests of organizations and citizens”, under Article 331 of the Penal Code. Among them, Lê Thanh Nhất Nguyên was sentenced to four years in prison. During this trial, Nguyên accused the authorities of coerced confessions, corporal punishment, and torture during his detention.

Đắk Lắk Authorities Sentence Two Independent Protestant Believers On May 6, 2025, authorities in Đắk Lắk Province sentenced Y Pŏ Mlô, an independent Protestant believer, to seven years and six months in prison for the alleged crime of “Undermining the national unity policy” under Article 116 of the Penal Code.

Earlier, in August 2024, the provincial authorities arrested Y Pŏ Mlô under the same charge.

According to the indictment, from 2023 to August 2024, Y Pŏ Mlô contacted and received operational directives from Y Min Alur, Y Thanh Êban, and Y Pher Hdruê, said to be members of the FULRO, the United Front for the Liberation of Oppressed Races, which is currently based in exile in Thailand. It is alleged that the aim of of the organization is the propagandizing, distorting information, inciting divisions, undermining the great bloc of religious and ethnic unity, and opposing the party and the state. However, Y Min Alur and Y Pher Hdruê have denied this accusation.

On May 23, 2025, authorities in Đắk Lắk also sentenced Y Thinh Niê, another independent Protestant believer, to nine years in prison under the same charge.

According to the authorities, Y Thinh Niê repeatedly persuaded people to join him in setting up an independent religious group, which violated state regulations. He also allegedly participated in online civil society training sessions organized by foreign groups, with the alleged intention of forming an autonomous separatist state in the Central Highlands.

Since the attack on the police station in Đắk Lắk, the local government has intensified the prosecution of independent Protestant followers as a move to prevent these individuals from exercising constitutional rights such as freedom of speech and freedom of belief and religion.

Authorities Discipline the Brother of Monk Thích Minh Tuệ On May 5, 2025, authorities in Ia Grai District, Gia Lai Province disciplined Lê Anh Tuấn, the older brother of Minh Tuệ, also known as “the Walking Monk,” by removing him from all positions in the party.

According to authorities, Lê Anh Tuấn violated party rules and allowed his family to build illegal structures on land belonging to Ia Châm Co., where he served as chairman and director. However, the authorities did not specify the details of the violation.

The disciplinary action against Mr. Tuấn has raised suspicions that it is related to his younger brother, Monk Minh Tuệ.

Last month, several media channels and social media users widely shared a document believed to be written by Venerable Thích Nhật Từ addressed to the Buddhist Sangha of Sri Lanka. The document accused Lê Anh Tú (also known as Thích Minh Tuệ) of pretending to be a monk, attempting to create his own sect, using religion for political subversion, and undermining the unity of Vietnamese Buddhism and national sovereignty… These sources said the document had caused many obstacles to the activities of Thích Minh Tuệ and his walking group.

Việt Nam Completes Hosting the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak On May 8, 2025, at the Viêt Nam Buddhist Academy in Hồ Chí Minh City, the 2025 Vesak Celebration (the most important Buddhist festival commemorating the Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and passing, observed annually on the full moon of the lunar month of Vesakha) officially ended. The event occurred from May 6 to May 8, 2025, with more than 2,700 delegates from 85 countries and territories attending.

The 20th United Nations Day of Vesak's theme was “Solidarity and tolerance for human dignity: Buddhist wisdom for world peace and sustainable development.”

This is the fourth time that Việt Nam has hosted the Vesak Celebration. The Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha had previously hosted it in 2008, 2014, and 2019.

On this occasion, the authorities also allowed the Sangha to bring Buddha’s relics from India to Việt Nam and to organize viewing and worship events for Buddhists across the country. According to the program, besides the Việt Nam Buddhist Academy in Hồ Chí Minh City, the relics were also taken to Ninh Bình, Bắc Giang, Quảng Ninh, Hưng Yên, and Đà Nẵng, before being returned.

The Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha is the only Buddhist organization in Việt Nam officially recognized by the government and allowed to organize large scale religious events of this religion.

Religion Bulletin – May 2025: Trial Continues for Two Members of Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai; Two Independent Protestant Pastors Sentenced

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