Hanoi arrests Protestant pastor for 'propaganda against the state'

Today's news: Seoul orders removal of concrete barrier that aggravated crash of Jeju Air aircraft in December; More than 23,000 Pakistanis are detained in prisons around the world; UN human rights experts call on Bangkok to stop deportation of 48 Uyghurs to China; In Turkey, nine arrests are made in connection with a hotel fire at a ski resort that left 76 dead and 25 injured.

VIETNAM

Vietnamese authorities arrested a Protestant pastor known for repeated criticism relayed on social media on charges of “propaganda against the state.” Nguyen Manh Hung, 71, is the first person to be arrested for the crime and the second since former Public Security Minister To Lam became secretary general in August. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

SOUTH KOREA.

The South Korean Ministry of Transport today announced the removal of the concrete barrier installed at the end of the runway at Muan International Airport, which allegedly contributed to the toll of last month's Jeju Air plane crash. Safety zones of at least 240 meters will also be provided at all airports to limit damage from runway offsets.

PAKISTAN

A total of 23,456 Pakistanis are incarcerated in different countries around the world; the largest numbers in the Gulf region. This is according to Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in a report to the Senate that 12,156 fellow citizens are imprisoned in Saudi Arabia and 5,292 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Some 7,208 Pakistanis were released from Saudi prisons from 2019 to 2024.

THAILAND - CHINA

UN experts urge Thailand to halt the deportation to China of 48 Uyghurs, from Xinjiang, who have been held in detention centers since 2014 on charges of irregular migration. The danger, U.N. staff warn, is that if they return they will be subjected to torture and internment. In addition, half of them require immediate treatment for “serious health conditions.”

INDONESIA

President Prabowo Subianto is considering pardons for detainees linked to armed organizations in the eastern province of Papua, including separatists, provided they renounce violence and abandon secessionist agendas. Charges will be dropped for those convicted or awaiting trial, and placed on government lists, provided they swear allegiance to the Indonesian state.

TURKEY

Turkish authorities have stepped up investigations and detentions of opposition figures, with targeted operations in recent days raising concerns about the crackdown on dissent against the government. The leader of the youth wing of the Republican People's Party (Chp) is in the crosshairs; an investigation has also begun into Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Meanwhile, the death toll rises to 76 killed and 25 injured in a hotel fire at a ski resort in the northwest, nine arrested.

RUSSIA

As Nezavisimaja Gazeta documents, since the beginning of 2025 the Russian economy has lost the main direction of its growth: domestic consumption. There is a reduction in consumer credit, general population spending, and a slight slowdown in the monthly inflation trend. Attention is directed to industrial production, especially in the military sector.

TAJIKISTAN - SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia will offer humanitarian aid to 35 thousand people in Tajikistan, according to the “Basket of Goods 2025” agreement, with 7,120 different packages for 0,000, each of 70 kilograms with flour, seed oil, sugar, rice, pulses. These are supplemented by other basic necessities purchased in local markets, which will be delivered on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan.