Laos Authorities Free Catholic Bishop, Priest Who Were Imprisoned in 1980

Authorities in Laos have released a Roman Catholic bishop and a priest who had been imprisoned since 1980, Keston College said Friday.

The London-based college, which monitors religious affairs in Communist countries, quoted reliable sources as saying that Bishop Thomas Khamphan, 63, the apostolic vicar of the diocese of Pakse in southern Laos, and a priest identified only as Father Bounliep were both freed in August.

Their long-awaited release means that no Catholic priests are known to be in detention in Laos although one priest in the capital of Vientiane is reported to be under house arrest, the college said.

There are believed to be about 30,000 Roman Catholics in Laos, organized into three apostolic regions, the college said. After the Communist takeover of Laos in 1975, all Catholic schools were taken over by the state, the seminary was closed and foreign missionaries were expelled.