The head of a banned Buddhist church in Vietnam has appealed to followers worldwide to campaign against political and religious repression. 

In a pre-Lunar New Year message, the patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, Thich Huyen Quang, said Vietnamese Buddhism was assailed by hardships.

However, Mr Quang said Buddhists must respond with fearlessness and serenity.

His message, delivered ahead of the week-long Tet festival beginning 1 February, was distributed by the Paris-based International Buddhist Information Bureau.

Mr Quang said the role of overseas Buddhists was essential to the struggle for human rights and democracy because church leaders in Vietnam are in prison or house arrest and are impeded from accomplishing their mission.

The 85-year-old has been kept under effective house arrest near the Quang Phuoc Pagoda in the remote central province of Quang Ngai since 1982.