Pastor David Lah denied bail in Myanmar after COVID-19 charges

David Lah, the Burmese Canadian controversial pastor who once said that those who genuinely believe in Christ would not contract the COVID-19 virus, only to be infected soon after, has his bail denied by the court after a hearing on June 3. The pastor defied national bans on large group gatherings in April, which led to his arrest with three others and 71 cases of infected individuals.

After Lah had recovered in the hospital and quarantined for near a month in a Yangon hotel, he faced a closed hearing on June 3. The court charged Lah and three other Christians with disobeying ban orders, in explicit defiance of the 2013 Natural Disaster Management Law.

According to UCA News, a judge said after the hearing that the court does not need to grant bail for the lawsuits that carry prison sentences of three years and above. His next court hearing will take place on June 8.

Since he is a Canadian citizen, the Burmese government might end up ordering his deportation once the legal proceeding is over. The other Burmese Christians could still face the sentence. The Christian community in Myanmar is picking up the pieces, calling for unity amid the fractured perception of Christians in the Buddhist majority country.

ICC

David Lah photo/YouTube screenshot

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *