Two Catholic Activists Released From Prison

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Two of the 14 defendants in the group of Vietnamese Catholic youth charged under “attempting to overthrow the government” in the 2013 trial were recently released after four years in prison.

“I don’t regret anything after four years in prison. I’m proud to have been imprisoned for four years,” Nguyen Van Oai said to BBC Vietnamese.

Paulus Le Son said his time in prison was the time he “felt more deeply” about “the most difficult hardships, both physically and mentally.”

Nguyen Van Oai was detained along with two other activists at the end of July in 2011 when a group of human rights defenders were returning from Thailand at Tan Son Nhat Airport. Son was detained a few days later in August, 2011.

In the initial trial, Son was sentenced to 13 years prison, one of the most severe sentences and Nguyen Van Oai was sentenced to 4 years.

In the appeals trial in May 2013, Son’s sentence was reduced because he “accepted all charges and pleaded guilty.”

‘I am a member of Viet Tan’

Oai did not file an appeal because: “I believe the cases such as ours whether it was processed by the district, provincial or central governments, was pre-determined. I let them take me where they wanted to take me.”

Referring to the charges in the 2013 trial which alleged they were members of Viet Tan, a political party based overseas, Oai said:

“From my understanding, the 14 people in the trial are all democracy activists but I am unsure as to whether they are members of Viet Tan or not.”

“Personally, I am a member of Viet Tan. Viet Tan hopes to establish a sustainable democracy in Vietnam.”

According to Oai, a few of the people who are sentenced in the trial have been “friends from school, fellows who frequently contact and work together”, while others aren’t “as acquainted”.

However, Oai said charges of “attempting to overthrow the government” made him want to share with people who did not know about “the outcomes and responsibilities that had been imposed on them.”

“Even though we may not know each other, we have a sense of solidarity as people who have overcome difficulties together.”

“I believe all the defendants in the trial hope for a democratic Vietnam in the future.”

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Newly released activist Nguyen Van Oai says he is “proud of his four year prison sentence”

‘Not accepting probation’

Nguyen Van Oai said he “did not accept any charges”, and did not accept or sign any documentations, papers or even papers regarding his release.

“When I was released, they demanded me to sign my release papers, documents which said I was released from prison. I responded to them saying ‘you should release me the way you detained me; if you want to continue detaining me, I am prepared to stay back but I will not sign anything’. They had created problems from the night of August 1 until the morning of August 2. It was after 11 o’clock when they released me.”

According to the charges placed, Nguyen Van Oai and Le Son are sentenced to four years house arrest following their release.

Both people have said they will not be deterred by their house arrest.

“About a month before my release, officials demanded me to write a statement saying I would accept the terms of house arrest following my release. I responded saying that I would not accept these conditions. Before I was released, they said ‘you have to obey the surveillance of security police and have to ask for permission before going anywhere’. However, I myself am not concerned by that,“ Oai said

“If there is any need to leave my hometown, I will proceed like any other person. Them stopping me will be their own business.”

Le Son also has the same thoughts. He said: “They have the right to implement the probation, however I will implement my universal rights. That is my freedom and my right to pursue happiness.”

‘Not changing’

Regarding his plan for the future, Oai said he has no expectations other than his “heart towards a democratic Vietnam”

“I will contribute along with various organisations relating to human rights in Vietnam in order for Vietnam to have true democracy,” Oai said.

Paulus Le Son said that he had moments of discouragement, but “hopes the public will understand”

Looking back at the reduced sentence in the appeals trial, Le Son “hoped that the public will understand… I did not declare or accept anything, but my deeds are not guilty, not contrary to morals… I just want to contribute to building my country.”

Le Son said three days before his appeals trial, the Ministry of Police appointed a person to persuade him to write and sign documents to reduce his sentence. That was the time where he had found out news about his mother’s passing from the previous year.

“My heart was aching, my mind was in a state of panic… and I followed their orders. That was when I had my moment of discouragement,” he said.

“After that as my mind calmed down, I thought that my life is an experience we have to continue despite the suffering we face,” he said to BBC Vietnamese.

“Before I was arrested, my avowal is to follow my faith. I have to live according to justice, compassion and love. I have to speak up for justice, righteousness and freedom which God has entrusted upon us. After four years in prison, I have matured a lot. I understand a lot of these ideals much more deeply.”

“Before I was arrested, I met with Le Thi Cong Nhan. She said to me, ‘I have met the most painful and terrible things while I was in prison.’ However, when I was in prison, I found out that what Le Thi Cong Nhan had described wasn’t enough. I felt much more than the most painful experiences.”

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Paulus Le Son said that he had moments of discouragement, but “hopes the public will understand”

Two other activists, Thai Van Dung and Tran Minh Nhat, will be released later this August. Nguyen Dinh Cuong, another defendant in the trial, will be released from prison in December.

These three activists were also sentenced to four years prison and had no change in their sentences at the appeals trial.

Reported by BBC’s Vietnamese service, translated and written in English by Don Le.

Source: BBC

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