Five individuals, including a human
rights lawyer and bloggers, were recently arrested in Vietnam for criticising
the government. In a letter on 8 September, FORUM-ASIA urged the government to
"protect the right to freedom of opinion and expression in your
country" and immediately release those who remain in detention.
Five individuals, including a human
rights lawyer and bloggers, were recently arrested in Vietnam for criticising
the government. In a letter on 8 September, FORUM-ASIA urged the government to
"protect the right to freedom of opinion and expression in your
country" and immediately release those who remain in detention.
The Asian Forum
for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) would like to express
its deep concern over the recent detention of 5 individuals: Mr. Le
Cong Dinh, Mr. Huy Duc, Mr. Bui Thanh Hieu, Ms. Pham Doan Trang and
Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh.
Mr. Le Cong
Dinh is a 41-year old human rights lawyer who was arrested by police
on 13 June 2009. Police charged him for violating Article 88 of Vietnam's
Criminal Code, "conducting propaganda against the government",
which carries a penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
Ms. Nguyen Ngoc
Nhu Quynh is a blogger who was arrested on 2 September 2009 for allegedly
violating Article 258 of the Criminal Code or "abusing democratic
freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State". She had written
about sovereignty issues in the South China Sea, where Vietnam and China
are engaged in a boundary dispute.
Mr. Huy Duc
is a journalist who was fired on 25 August 2009 from his position in
the Saigon Tiep Thi Newspaper after he had posted on his blog
an article on the Berlin Wall, presenting political views that were
reportedly against the communist government.
Mr. Bui Thanh
Hieu is a blogger from Hanoi whose writings are critical of the government's
handling of several sensitive topics, including relations with China.
He was detained by Vietnamese security police on 27 August 2009. He
was told that he had violated Article 258 of Vietnam's Criminal Code,
which prohibits "abusing freedom and democracy to infringe on the
interests of the state."
Ms. Pham Doan
Trang, an editor of a prominent news website named VietnamNet,
was arrested on 27 August 2009, for criticizing Vietnam's policies
towards China.
We understand
that Mr. Bui Thanh Hieu and Ms. Pham Doan Trang have already been released
and we welcome this positive development. We note with deep concern,
however, that Mr. Le Cong Dinh and Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh are still
currently detained. We, therefore, urgently call on your government
to take steps to protect the right to freedom of opinion and expression
in your country and release immediately the remaining detained individuals,
Mr. Le Cong Dinh and Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh.
To read the complete statement, please click here (pdf).
