# Vietnam sentencing of Montagnard religious leader > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/vietnam-sentencing-of-montagnard-religious-leader > Updated: 2026-08-10T23:30:52.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. In August 2026, the People’s Court of Đắk Lắk Province in Vietnam sentenced Y Nuen Ayun, a Montagnard Protestant pastor, to seven and a half years in prison. Following his sentence, Ayun is required to serve four years of probationary supervision. Prosecutors charged Ayun with ‘undermining the national unity policy’ under Article 116 of Vietnam’s Criminal Code. The court found that Ayun led the unregistered ‘West Central Highlands Christian Gospel Church’ (also referred to as the ‘Church of Christ Central Highlands’) under the direction of A Ga, a dissident residing in the United States. Authorities alleged that Ayun used the group to spread false reports, receive approximately 7.7 million Vietnamese dong, and attempt to create a separate state for ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands. While Ayun admitted to the charges during the trial, human rights advocates have criticized the ruling, arguing that such charges are used to target religious freedom and silence ethnic minority Christians. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-10: Vietnam sentences Montagnard pastor to seven years in prison Montagnard pastor Y Nuen Ayun has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison in Vietnam for allegedly undermining national unity through unregistered religious activities. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-sentences-montagnard-pastor-to-seven-years-in-prison ### 2026-08-05: Vietnam court sentences Y Nuen Ayun to 7 years for sabotaging ethnic unity policy Vietnam’s Dak Lak court sentenced Y Nuen Ayun to 7½ years for forming a covert religious group that threatened ethnic unity, acting under US‑based dissident A Ga. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-court-sentences-y-nuen-ayun-to-7-years-for-sabotaging-ethnic-unity-policy --- Cite as: Vietnam sentencing of Montagnard religious leader. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/vietnam-sentencing-of-montagnard-religious-leader