Y Krec Bya, a Christian missionary from Vietnam’s Central Highlands, has been named the recipient of the prestigious 2024 Le Dinh Luong Human Rights Award, recognizing his enduring fight for justice and religious freedom under government repression.
The award, conferred by the U.S.-based Vietnam Reform Revolution Party (Viet Tan), celebrates individuals and organizations advocating for human rights in Vietnam.
Bya, a member of the Central Highlands Evangelical Church of Christ, has been subjected to years of state persecution, including physical assaults, imprisonment, and pressure to renounce his faith, according to a report by Radio Free Asia.
“Preacher Y Krec Bya is a non-violent advocate for human rights and a spiritual leader who has been fighting for these causes for over 20 years,” Viet Tan spokeswoman Suzie Xuyen Dong said in a statement.
He represents many people, including Protestant followers and religious groups in the Central Highlands, who peacefully fight for their sacred and basic rights to life,” the statement read.
Viet Tan outlined Bya’s challenging history, noting years of persecution marked by physical assaults, harassment, and repeated imprisonment.
Authorities have detained him arbitrarily on multiple occasions. His first conviction in 2004 resulted in an eight-year prison sentence, and in March 2024, he was sentenced again to 13 years.
Despite these adversities, Bya has continued his unwavering advocacy for justice and religious freedom.
Bya’s activism goes beyond his church. He has actively supported indigenous communities resisting illegal land confiscations by local authorities, a stance that has made him a prominent yet vulnerable advocate in Vietnam’s Central Highlands.
The Central Highlands Evangelical Church of Christ, where Bya serves as a missionary, has faced relentless pressure from local authorities.
The Vietnamese government does not recognize the church, branding it and its members as troublemakers. The group comprises 20 congregations that regularly gather in the region, according to its U.S.-based founder, Pastor Aga.
Bya and another missionary were detained last year for allegedly contacting Pastor Aga to oppose the government.
Such charges, critics argue, are part of a broader effort to suppress religious freedom and silence dissent in the Central Highlands.
The Le Dinh Luong Human Rights Award, established by Viet Tan in 2018, honors individuals who champion human rights and bring attention to rights abuses in Vietnam.
Named after a Vietnamese activist who was sentenced to 20 years in prison, the award has recognized several prominent figures, including Pastor Dang Huu Nam and college lecturer Nguyen Nang Tinh.
Bya’s recognition this year underscores the ongoing struggles of Vietnam’s religious and indigenous minorities. “He is a symbol of resilience and peaceful resistance in the face of systemic oppression,” Dong said.
