VIETNAM: AT LEAST 200 POLITICAL PRISONERS BEHIND BARS

VIETNAM: AT LEAST 200 POLITICAL PRISONERS BEHIND BARS

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Vietnam has the highest number of political prisoners in Southeast Asia. It is estimated that there are at least 212 dissidents behind bars, and many more are under house arrest. Those imprisoned include lawyers, bloggers, land rights activists, Buddhist monks, journalists, writers, singers, labor activists, pro-democracy campaigners, and members of ethnic and religious minorities, including Hmong and Christian Montagnard. Many of Vietnam’s political prisoners are women. Many of the dissidents are serving lengthy prison terms in poor detention conditions. As a result, their health is deteriorating and they are in need of urgent medical treatment and ongoing care. What follows are the short profiles of 17 political prisoners, whose cases are of particular concern.
1- Dinh Dang Dinh - Environmental activist, born 1963; Oncology Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City.

A former army officer and chemistry teacher, Dinh Dang Dinh has campaigned on various social and political issues. He led a campaign against a large bauxite mine operated by Chinese companies in Vietnam’s central highlands. He was arrested in October 2011 and sentenced to six years in prison under Article 88 of the Criminal Code for “propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” in August 2012. He is suffering from advanced stages of stomach cancer that has spread to his lymph nodes. On February 15, 2014, authorities suspended his sentence for 12 months.


2- Thich Quang Do - Buddhist monk, born 1928; under house arrest.

Thich Quang Do is the leader of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) and a 2014 Nobel Peace Prize nominee. He has spent the past three decades under different forms of detention – 10 years in internal exile (1982-1992), seven years in prison (1977-1978 and 1995-1998), and the rest under house arrest without charge. In January 1995, he was arrested for organizing a UBCV relief mission for flood victims in the Mekong Delta and for writing a document on the Communist Party’s persecution of the UBCV. In August 1995, he was sentenced to five years in prison and three years’ house arrest under Article 258 of the Criminal Code for “abusing democratic freedoms to harm the interests of the State.” In September 1998, he was released in a government amnesty in September 1998 following international pressure. In 2001, he was sentenced to two years’ house arrest in 2001 for circulating petitions on the Internet challenging the government on a wide range of issues including religious freedom, the death penalty, and democratic reforms. In October 2003, he was placed under administrative detention. In May 2005, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) found that his detention was arbitrary and called for his release.


3- Le Quoc Quan - Catholic blogger/lawyer, born 1971; Hoa Lo Prison No. 1, Hanoi.

Le Quoc Quan used internet blogs to campaign on human rights, democracy, and social justice issues. In March 2007, he was detained for “activities to overthrow the people's government” after returning Vietnam from a fellowship with the US-based National Endowment for Democracy. He was released after 100 days in prison, but no longer permitted to leave Vietnam. He was also disbarred. In December 2012, he was arrested nine days after posting an anti-gov??>??rernment message on his blog. In October 2013, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison on trumped up charges of tax evasion under Article 161 of the Criminal Code. In December 2013, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) declared his detention to be a violation of international law. In February 2014, he went on 17-day hunger strike to protest the prison authorities’ refusal to provide him access to legal and religious books. On February 18, 2014, the Hanoi Court of Appeals upheld his conviction.


4- Nguyen Van Hai aka Dieu Cay - Blogger, born 1952; Camp No. 6, Nghe An Province.

In September 2007, Nguyen Van Hai co-founded the Free Journalists’ Club to promote freedom of expression and independent journalism. He was arrested for organizing anti-China protests in December 2007 and in January 2008. In April 2008, he was arrested on trumped up charges of tax evasion. In September 2008, he was found guilty of those charges and sentenced to two and a half years in prison. In May 2009, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) found that his detention was arbitrary. In October 2010, despite completing his sentence, authorities failed to release him and charged him under Article 88 of the Criminal Code for “propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.” He was detained incommunicado for the next 23 months. In September 2012, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison under Article 88 of the Criminal Code.


5- Ho Thi Bich Khuong (F) - Land rights activist, born 1967; a prison camp in Nghe An Province.

Ho Thi Bich Khuong is a farmer who used the internet to document land confiscation and campaign for land rights. April 2007, she was arrested in an internet café in Nghe An Province and subsequently sentenced to two years in prison under Article 258 of the Criminal Code for “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State.” She was re-arrested in January 2011 and sentenced to five years in prison and three years of house arrest under Article 88 of the Criminal Code for “propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” in December 2011.


6- Nguyen Xuan Nghia - Writer, born 1949; prison camp No. 6, Nghe An Province.

Nguyen Xuan Nghia is a founding member of the banned democracy movement Bloc 8406. He was arrested in 2008 under Article 88 of the Criminal Code for “propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.” In May 2009, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) said his detention was arbitrary and called for his release. In October 2009, he was sentenced to six years in prison and three years of house arrest for writing articles, poems, and short stories that allegedly sought to “insult the Communist Party of Vietnam, distort the situation of the country, slander and disgrace the country’s leaders.” His health has been deteriorating due to torture, ill-treatment, and poor detention conditions.


7- Tran Vu Anh Binh aka Hoang Nhat Thong & Vo Minh Tri aka Viet Khang -Songwriters, born 1974 and 1978 respectively; Z30A Xuan Loc prison camp, Dong Nai Province.

Tran Vu Anh Binh and Vo Minh Tri were arrested in September and December 2011 respectively for writing protest songs about social injustice and Vietnam’s relations with China. In October 2012, they were sentenced to six and fours in prison respectively followed by two years’ probationary detention under Article 88 of the Criminal Code on charges of “propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.”


8- Truong Duy Nhat - Blogger, born 1964; B14 prison, near Hanoi.

Truong Duy Nhat is a former journalist with state-run newspapers “Bao Cong An Quang Nam Danang” (Quang Nam Danang Security Police newspaper) and “Dai Doan Ket”(Great Solidarity newspaper). In 2011, he left his job to write his own blog “A Different Point of View,” which became widely known for its criticism of the government. In articles such as“The Party’s Secretary General and the Prime Minister should step down”, and “The abysmal quality of our government”, he critiqued the performance of top government officials, denounced corruption, and opened debate on democratic issues. He has been detained since May 26, 2013, when Security Police in Danang arrested him on charges of“abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State” under Article 258(2) of the Criminal Code. On March 3, 2014, a court in Danang sentenced him to [two years] in priso??>??rn.


9- Cu Huy Ha Vu - Legal expert, born 1957; prison camp No. 5, Thanh Hoa Province.

Cu Huy Ha Vu He obtained a doctorate in law in France and he is a prominent scholar and legal expert. He filed several lawsuits against Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. One such lawsuit involved the government granting a Chinese mining company rights to mine bauxite in a deposit in the central highlands. He was arrested in November 2010 for calling for multi-party democracy in articles on the Internet. In April, he was sentenced to seven years in prison and three years of house arrest under Article 88 of the Criminal Code for“propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.” He suffers from a heart condition.


10- Nguyen Tien Trung - Pro-democracy activist, born 1983; PA 92 prison, Ho Chi Minh City.

In 2006, Nguyen Tien Trung founded the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy, an organization that campaigned for political and democratic reforms in Vietnam. In July 2009, he was arrested under Article 79 of the Criminal Code for “carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration.” In January 2010, he was found guilty of those charges and sentenced to seven years in prison and three years of house arrest. In August 2012, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) declared his detention to be a violation of international law.


11- Ta Phong Tan (F) - Catholic blogger, born 1968; No. 5 prison camp, Thanh Hoa Province.

A former police officer and Communist Party member, Ta Phong Tan began her career as freelance journalist and co-founded the Free Journalists’ Club. She used blogs to campaign on social justice issues, land confiscation, corruption, and police abuse of power. She was arrested in September 2011 for posting blog entries critical of the Vietnamese government. In July 2012, her mother died after self-immolation to protest her daughter’s detention. In September 2012, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison under Article 88 of the Criminal Code on charges of “propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.”


12- Nguyen Van Lia - Hoa Hao Buddhist activist, born 1940; Z30A Xuan Loc prison camp, Dong Nai Province.

Nguyen Van Lia is a member of the Hoa Hao Buddhist church, a religious group often targeted by the government. In 2003, he was sentenced to three years in prison for commemorating the anniversary of the death of the Hoa Hao Buddhist founder, Huynh Phu So. In April 2011, he was arrested on trumped-up charges of a traffic violation as he was driving to attend a ceremony for a deceased Hoa Hao follower. In December 2011, he was sentenced to four years and six months in prison and three years of house arrest under Article 258 of the Criminal Code for “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State.” His prison term was reduced on appeal to four and a half years in March 2012. During his detention, his was tortured and his health deteriorated.


13- Do Thi Minh Hanh (F) - Labor activist, born 1985; Thanh Xuan prison, Hanoi.

At the age of 18 Do Thi Minh Hanh became politically active by assisting farmers in filing petitions with the government to demand the return of confiscated land. In 2005, she was detained by authorities for her political activities but was never formally charged. In February 2010, she was arrested for helping workers organize a strike at a shoe factory in Tra Vinh Province. In October 2010, she was sentenced to seven years in prison under Article 89 of the Criminal Code on charges of “disrupting security.” She has been tortured in detention and, as a result of the beatings, she is now deaf in one ear.


14- Nguyen Huu Cau - Poet, born 1947; Z30A Xuan Loc prison camp, Dong Nai Province.

A former officer in the army of the Republic of South Vietnam, Nguyen Huu Cau spent six years in a re-education camp from 1975 to 1980. In 1982, he was re-arrested for writing poems about corruption and abuse of power. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in May 1983 under Article 87 of the Criminal Code for “undermining the unity policy.” He has sent 500 letters to the authorities claiming his innocence but has never received any reply. During his time in prison, his health has significantly deteriorated. He is now deaf, almost blind, extremely thin, and weak.


15- Tran Huynh Duy Thuc - Blogger, born 1966; Xuyen Moc prison camp, Dong Nai Province.

??>??r  Tran Huynh Duy Thuc used internet blogs to advocate for political and economic reforms in Vietnam. He was arrested in 2009 and sentenced to 16 years in prison and five years of house arrest under Article 79 of the Criminal Code for “carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration.” in January 2010. In August 2012, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) declared his detention to be a violation of international law.


16- Hoang Khuong aka Nguyen Van Khuong - Journalist, born 1972; Chi Hoa prison, Ho Chi Minh City.

A journalist with the state-run daily newspaper “Tuoi Tre”, Hoang Khuong published numerous reports about corruption in the Ho Chi Minh City traffic police department. In July and September 2011, he wrote a series of articles revealing bribes received by traffic police, which led to the arrest and conviction of one policeman. Subsequently, however, he was arrested on charges of corruption himself. In December 2012, he was sentenced to four years in prison.

PTPNVNHĐCN " PETITION ONU NGUYEN BAC TRUYEN

A Genève les 5 et 6 février 2014, l’ONU a traité du sujet des Droits de l’Homme au Vietnam. Une liste de 227 actions de  violation des Droits de l’Homme à  HANOI a été établie, ces actions ont été dénoncées par 106 pays, membres de l’ONU.

Malgré ce rappel à l’ordre, Hanoi semble continuer à durcir sa dictature en écrasant toutes les voix contestataires.

Le 9 février 2014, le gouvernement de Hanoi a sauvagement défoncé les portes du domicile de l’avocat Nguyen BacTruyen à Dong Thap/Sud Vietnam pour cette seule et simple raison : c’est un Défenseur des Droits de l’Homme et de la liberté des Religions. À ce jour, il est porté disparu et son habitat est totalement saccagé. Le NET a rendu publique, à l’échelle mondiale, l’incarcération de l’avocat Nguyen Bac Truyen et 24 heures après, il était libéré.

Aussitôt, un cercle d’amis,  21 personnes environ, sont partis à Dong Thap pour lui rendre visite, ceux-ci ont attaqués et arrêtés en cours de route par la Police de la Sécurité le 11/02/2014.

Aux dernières nouvelles, 18 personnes sont libérées, mais à ce jour, on est sans nouvelles des trois autres : sont-elles encore en VIE ou ASSASINEES ??? Il s’agit de Madame Bui thi Minh Hang, Madame Nguyen thi Thuy Quynh et Monsieur Nguyen van Minh.

Autre fait : un officier haut gradé de la police Sécurité,  Monsieur Le Hoang Dung, sans raison légitime, se permet de  boxer au visage  Madame Bui thi Minh Hang, une Militante pour les Droits de l’Homme, gratuitement et avec violence.

La Police de la Sécurité du Parti Communiste Vietnamien continue à bafouer les Droits de l’Homme en agressant l’avocat Nguyen Bac Truyen et son épouse qui se dirigeaient vers l’Ambassade d’Australie, et ceci, en pleine rue (rue Dao Tuan Lieu/Hanoi). Le couple Nguyen Bac Truyen, suite aux  coups  reçus, présente de graves blessures au visage et tout le long du corps : cela prouve la situation dramatique de la Violation des Droits de l’Homme au Vietnam, visant des membres de l’Ambassade d’Australie à Hanoi.

Notons encore que le capitaine Nguyen hưu Cau/armée République du Sud Vietnam est retenu derrière les barreaux depuis plus de 30 ans. Aux dernières nouvelles, Hanoi a promis sa libération pour la fête du TẾT/année du Cheval 2014, date à laquelle il pourrait retrouver sa famille. Mais Hanoi ne respecte pas ses engagements, la famille du capitaine Nguyen hưu Cau vit des jours de souffrances sans fin et on peut se demander jusqu’à quand sa petite fille, Tran Phan Yen Nhi, devra-t-elle attendre le retour de son grand père.

Nous vous prions de bien vouloir éclaircir les cas cités ci-dessus, et les milliers d’autres cas dont Hanoï doit répondre au peuple Vietnamien et aux organismes internationaux des Droits de l Homme.

Dans l’attente de votre réponse, Madame, Monsieur, veuillez recevoir nos salutations les meilleures.

                                                                                                         The Patriotic Women Movement For a Democratic  Viet Nam

                                                                                                                                                                    La Présidente

                                                                                                                                                                    DANG THI DANH

P.S. Veuillez avoir l’amabilité de communiquer ce courrier à la Fédération Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l’Homme et à toutes les Organisations des Droits de l’Homme dans le Monde entier.

PETITION

In Geneva on 5 and 6 February 2014, the UN has dealt with the subject of Human Rights in Viet Nam. A list of 227 shares of violation of Human Rights was established in Hanoi, these actions were denounced by 106 countries, members of the UN.

Despite this reprimand, Hanoi seems to continue to tighten its dictatorship crushing all dissenting voices.

On 9 February 2014, the Hanoi government brutally smashed the doors of the home of the Lawyer Nguyễn Bắc Truyển at Đồng Tháp / South Viet Nam for this one simple reason: Lawyer Nguyễn Bắc Truyển  is a defender of Human Rights and Freedom Religious. To date, he is missing and its habitat is totally trashed. NET was released, worldwide, incarceration lawyer Nguyễn Bắc Truyển and 24 hours after it he was released.

Immediately, a circle of friends, about 21 people went to Đồng Tháp to visit him, they are attacked and arrested en route by the Security Police on 02.11.2014.

At last 18 people are released, but to date there is no news of the other three : are they still LIFE or ASSASINEES ? They are Mrs. Bùi Thị Minh Hằng, Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Thúy Quỳnh and Mr. Nguyễn Văn Minh.

Another fact : a high-ranking officer of the Police Security, Mr. Lê Hoàng Dũng, without 

legitimate reason, allows boxer to face of Mrs. Bùi Thị Minh Hằng – an activist for Human Rights, free and violence.

The Security Police of the Vietnamese Party continues to flout human rights by assaulting the lawyer Nguyễn Bắc Truyển and his wife who were heading towards the Australian Embassy, on the street Đào Tuấn Lưu / Hanoi ).

The couple Nguyễn Bắc Truyển , following the beating, has serious injuries to their faces and throughout the body: it shows the plight of the Violation of Human Rights in Viet Nam, against members of the Embassy of Australia to Hanoi.

Note also that Captain Nguyễn Hữu Cầu of Republic Army of South  Viet Nam is held behind bars for more than 30 years. By latest news, Hanoi has promised to release Captain Nguyễn Hữu Cầu before TẾT / Year of the Horse 2014 when he could return to his family. But Hanoi does not respect its commitments, the family of Captain Nguyễn Hữu Cầu are living and suffering endless days and her little girl Phan Trần Yến Nhi, is still  waiting  for the return of her grandfather.

Please kindly clarify the cases cited above, and the thousands of other cases which must respond to Hanoi Vietnamese people and International organizations of Human Rights.

Waiting for your answer, Sir / Madam, please accept our most best sincerely regards.

Mrs. Đặng Thị Danh

President of The Patriotic Movement for a Democratic Women Viet Nam 

Montréal, Canada  March  03, 2014

THỈNH  NGUYỆN  THƯ

             Tại Genève vào hai ngày 05 và 06 Tháng Hai năm 2014, Ủy Hội Quốc Tế đã bàn thảo về vấn đề Nhân Quyền tại Việt Nam. Một danh sách gồm 226 vụ vi phạm về Nhân Quyền đã được ghi nhận tại Hà Nội. Vấn đề này đã là mối quan tâm của 106 Quốc gia  Hội viên của Liên Hiệp Quốc.

Bất chấp những cảnh cáo này, nhà cầm quyền Hà Nội vẫ tiếp tục áp dụng chính sách độc tài để dập tắt những tiếng kêu than chống đối.

Mới đây vào ngày 09 Tháng Hai năm  2014, nhà cầm quyền Hà Nội đã tàn nhẫn đập phá cửa tư gia của Luật sư Nguyễn Bắc Truyển tại tỉnh Đồng Tháp / Nam Việt Nam chỉ với một lý do rất đơn giản đó là: Luật Sư Nguyễn Bắc Truyển là một nhà tranh đấu cho Nhân Quyền và Tự Do Tôn Giáo. Vào ngày này, Luật Sư Nguyễn Bắc Truyển được xem như mất tích và nơi cư trú của ông hoàn toàn bị đâp phá. Mọi tin tức cập nhật đã được tung lên nhanh chóng trên mạng Tin tức toàn cầu NET đi khắp thế giới về sự bắt giam đối xử dã man này với Luật sư Nguyễn Bắc Truyển. 24 giờ sau, ông được phóng thích.

Ngay sau đó, một số bạn bè thân hữu của Luật sư Nguyễn Bắc Truyển khoảng 24 người đã đến tỉnh Đồng Tháp để thăm nom ông nhưng tất cả bị tấn công và bắt giữ trên đường tới tỉnh Đồng Tháp bởi Công An vào ngày 11 Tháng Hai năm 2014.

18 người trong số này đã được phóng thích nhưng cho đến ngày hôm nay hoàn toàn vẫn chưa nhận được bất cứ một tin tức gì của 3 người có tên sau đây: Bà Bùi Thị Minh Hằng, Bà Nguyễn Thị Thúy Quỳnh và ông Nguyễn Văn Minh. Thật sự họ CÒN SỐNG hay đã bị ÁM SÁT THỦ TIÊU ?

Ngoài ra còn thêm một bằng cớ: một giới chức cao cấp ngành Công An, ông Lê Hoàng Dũng   bất chấp luật lệ, hoặc lý do chính đáng đã tàn nhẫn đấm đá tàn nhẫn vào mặt của Bà Buì Thị Minh Hằng – một nhà Đấu tranh cho Nhân Quyền Tự Do.  Thật vô cùng tàn nhẫn.

Cơ Quan An Ninh Công An của Việt Nam tiếp tục chà đạp luật lệ Nhân quyền bằng cách đàn áp vợ chồng Luật Sư Nguyễn Bắc Truyển khi cặp vợ chồng này đang trên đường đi tới Sứ Quán Úc Đại Lợi nằm trên đường Đào Tuấn Lưu / Hà Nội để xin được can thiệp giúp đỡ Vợ chồng Luật Sư Nguyễn Bắc Truyển sau khi bị hành hung đánh đập tàn nhẫn còn rất nhiều vết thương bâm tím trên mặt và thân thể. Điều này chứng tỏ rằng nhà cầm quyền Hà Nội đã trắng trợn vi phạm Nhân Quyền và không tôn trọng Lãnh Sự Quán Úc Đại Lợi.

Ngoài ra cũng xin nêu lên trường hợp của Đại Uý Việt Nam Cộng Hoà NGUYỄN  HỮU  CẦU đã bị nhà cầm quyền Cộng Sản giam giữ suốt hơn 30 năm qua không hề bị kết án bởi bất cứ một Phiên Tòa xét sử nào. Theo những tin tức mới nhất được biết là Hà Nội đã hứa là sẽ trả lại Tự Do cho Đại Úy Nguyễn Hữu Cầu TRƯỚC TẾT NGUYÊN ĐÁN năm Bính Ngọ 2014 về đoàn tụ cùng gia đình. Nhưng cho đến hôm nay nhà cầm quyền Hà Nội vẫn chưa thực hiện lời hứa này. Gia đình thân nhân của Đại Úy Nguyễn Hữu Cầu sống triền miên trong lo âu đớn đau. Người cháu gái của Đại Uý Nguyễn Hữu Cầu  tên Phan Thị Yến Nhi vẫn ngày đêm từng giờ từng phút trông chờ ngày trở về của ông.

Kính xin Quý Tổ chức giúp làm sáng tỏ những trường hợp nêu trên và ngoài ra còn hàng ngàn trường  hợp khác nữa rất cần phải được can thiệp và giải quyết cấp kỳ bởi nhà cầm quyền Hà Nội và Uỷ Hội Quốc Tế về Nhân Quyền.

Trong khi chờ đợi sự can thiệp và hồi âm của Quý Cơ Quan, xin chân thành ghi ơn về sự can thiệp của Quý Vị.

    Bà Đặng Thị Danh 

      Chủ Tịch Phong Trào Phụ Nữ Việt Nam hành động cứu nước

      Làm tại Montréal, Canada ngày 03 Tháng Ba, 2014