The Communist government of Vietnam is so threatened by the Kingdom of God, that it sentenced a pastor in that country to 4.5 years in prison for holding a prayer meeting in his home, the Christian Post reports.

Nay Y Blang, 48, is from the Montagnard tribe and pastors a Central Highlands Evangelical Church of Christ, The Montagnards live in the central highlands of Vietnam and are largely Christian.

According to reports, Blang did not have legal representation when he was tried and sentenced for this fake crime.

“The Vietnamese government views the simple act of prayer as a direct threat to their power and legitimacy,” said Christian Solidarity Worldwide founder Mervyn Thomas.

“No person should fear jail for exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief. These recent developments show that the human rights situation in Vietnam continues to deteriorate. We emphasize that this is part of a wider pattern of the targeting of religious and ethnic minorities across Vietnam that is often more severe in rural areas,” Thomas added.