A pastor and four other church leaders in Laos were convicted last week of being “illegal doctors” because they prayed for a sick woman who later died.
The People’s Court of Savannakhet Province on Feb. 12 sentenced the five Christians to nine months in prison and a fine of 500,000 kips (US$62) each. In addition, the defendants are to jointly pay 20 million kips (US$2,448) in emotional damages and funeral costs to the family of the deceased, according to court records.
The woman who died, identified only as Chansee (also known as Chan), had been ill for two years with an unknown condition. Various kinds of healers and doctors in Saisomboon village, Atsaphangthong District, had treated her without success, area residents told a representative of the Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF)....
Dr. Steven J. Lawson | 10/11/2009
