The reporting period for the 2024 World Watch List began with a shocking moment for Christians in Laos: the murder of a pastor in October 2022. Across the country, violence rose substantially this year over last year—a shocking increase even for a place used to physical threats. Christians were kicked out of their communities, their homes were destroyed, and they endured so much for following Jesus. 

The spike in violence comes in addition to the common pressure that Lao believers experience. At the local level, Communist authorities heavily monitor religious activities in some parts of the country. In these areas, church leaders reported cases of local authorities closing down house churches. These gatherings must operate under the radar; technically, they are illegal. But even among registered churches, the threats are real. They are monitored, and it’s estimated that 75% of all registered Lao Evangelical church congregations must worship in homes, which authorities consider illegal since worship gatherings are only allowed in approved religious buildings. Many unregistered house churches gather under the umbrella of a national registered church. 

Converts to Christianity carry additional vulnerabilities. Because they are seen as traitors to their communities who have angered the spirits, they can face pressure and violence from their families and local authorities. Families have been known to stir up the local community, who often expel converts from their homes and villages.