ICC Note: A Vietnamese priest, Father John Luu Ngoc Quynh was prevented from traveling to France on Dec 5 to attend vow-taking ceremony of a Vietnamese Cistercian. He is the second Redemptorist priest who was banned from leaving the country this year. Security officers prevented him from leaving the country for “the protection of national security, social order, and safety.” Communist countries like China and Vietnam often use national security as an excuse to restrict mobility of people they feel could be a threat to the regime.
12/7/2017 Vietnam (UCA News) – A Redemptorist priest from Hanoi has been banned from leaving the country for “national security” reasons.
Father John Luu Ngoc Quynh from the Redemptorist Community in Hanoi was stopped by security officials at Noi Bai Airport on Dec. 5 and prevented from traveling to France, the community said in a statement.
He is the second Redemptorist priest to be prevented from leaving the country this year.
Father Quynh was invited to attend the vow-taking ceremony of a Vietnamese Cistercian on Dec. 8 in France, the statement added. The Cistercian is one of the priest’s alumni.
Security officers told Father Quynh that he “was banned from traveling abroad for the protection of national security, social order and safety.”
The 53-year-old priest offers pastoral care to migrant workers and students in the Redemptorist-run Thai Ha church.
They also accused the government of violating his right to travel and his religious freedom.
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