From : Prof. Dr. Johannes Kals,
Eichstrasse 44,
Neustadt an der Weinstraße 67 434
Germany
To : Bundeskanzlerin Dr. Angela Merkel
Will-Brandt-Str.1
10557 Berlin
Neustadt, 7 october 2014
Dear Madam Chancellor,
Le Quoc Quan is a Vietnamese human rights lawyer, democracy activist and a prominent figure in the peaceful struggles for the freedom of Vietnam.
He was arrested in December 2012 by the Vietnamese Authorities under charges of tax evasion. In actual fact, he was arrested for his active role in advocating for democracy. Despite the oppression, civil society in Vietnam continues to develop and has become a platform for civil forums on the Internet and the formation of many organisations. This has led to the increase in crackdown and one of the many tactics utilized by the Vietnamese government is to use Criminal Code such as tax evasion, to arrest and imprison prominent activists, in order to quell the rise of the civil movement.
On February 18 2014, despite the ongoing outcry from many international NGOs, goverments around the world, including elected representatives from the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia and numerous European scholars (see list at end of letter), the Vietnamese Court of Appeals upheld the 30-month imprisonment sentence, ordered by the Magistrates Court against Le Quoc Quan.
Most recently, the Vietnamese Authorities have threatened to demolish Lien Tri Pagoda in Thu Thiem. Thu Thiem has been a longstanding base for places of worship such as the Lovers of the Holy Cross of Thu Thiem (174 years), the Catholic Cathedral of Thu Thiem (154 years), Lien Tri Pagoda of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (over 70 years) and more recently the Chapel of the Vietnam Baptist Church and the Garden of Prayers of the Mennonite Baptist Church.
On July 31 2014, at a press conference in Hanoi after his 10-day trip in Vietnam, Hiener Bielefeldt, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion and belief, stated that “there are serious violations of religious freedom”.
These violations can clearly be demonstrated by plans to abolish all religious establishments in Thu Thiem. In respect to the religious establishments mentioned above, the Chapel of the Vietnam Baptist Church and the Garden of Prayers of the Mennonite Baptist Church were demolished in 2003 and 2010, respectively. The remaining three establishments have aggressively resisted against forced closure many times.
Vietnam has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and furthermore, has become a member of the 2014-16 United Nations Human Rights Council. It is therefore unacceptable that Vietnam continues to pursue their oppressive policy and incarcerates peaceful democracy activists such as Le Quoc Quan, Dieu Cay, Ta Phong Tan and many others.
On February 5 2014, many countries had questioned Vietnam on the worsening human rights situation at the Universal Periodic Review, a mechanism of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
In the Review, the representative of the German delegation issued two recommendations for the Vietnamese government:
- 1. Immediately release all political prisoners held in arbitrary detention and compensate them as recommended by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
2. Thoroughly respect freedom of religion, assembly and the right to freedom of expression on the internet as well as offline to all of its citizens.
These are legitimate requests. Therefore, we, a number of scholars in Europe who have co-signed below, take the liberty to reach out to you with the following requests:
- 1. Raise Le Quoc Quan’s case to the Vietnamese Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung during his visit in mid-October.
2. Demand the Vietnamese government to immediately and unconditionally release Le Quoc Quan.
Yours sincerely,
On behalf of all the scholars below Johannes Kals
List of scholars calling for the release of Lawyer Le Quoc Quan
1. Prof. Dr. Johannes Kals, who initiated the campaign.
Elected Representatives:
2. Mr. Wolfgang Bosbach, CDU Party, the Federal Assembly of Representatives, the Internal Affairs Committee Chairman.
3. Dr. Bernd Fabritius, CDU / CSU, Federal Congressman.
4. Ms. Ingrid Fischbach, CDU, Federal Congresswoman.
5. Ms. Kerstin GRIESE, SPD, Federal Congresswoman.
6. Mr. Frank Heinrich, the CDU / CSU, Federal Congressman.
7. He Rufolf Henke, CDU / CSU, Federal Congressman.
8. Thomas Hitschler, SPD, Federal Congressman.
9. Mr. Alois Karl, the CDU / CSU, Federal Congressman.
10. Dr. Philipp Lengsfeld, CDU, Federal Congressman.
11. Mr. Dietmar Nietan, SPD, Federal Congressman.
12. Ms. Ulli Nissen, SPD, Federal Congresswoman, Frankfurt am Main City.
13. Mr. Martin Patzelt, CDU / CSU, Federal Congressman.
14. Stefan REBMANN, SPD party, Federal Congressman.
15. Mr. Norbert Schindler, CDU, Federal Congressman.
16. Mr. Frank Schwabe, SPD, Federal Congressman.
17. Mr Johannes Steiniger, CDU, Federal Congressman.
18. Ulrich Kelber, SPD, Federal Congressman, Secretary of the National Assembly.
19. Dr. Georg Kippels , CDU, Federal Congressman.
20. Dr. Friederike Focking, CDU, State Assemblyman, Hamburg City.
21. Mr. Christian Baldauf, State Assemblyman, CDU Vice President, Head of RheinlandPfalz State Parliament.
22. Mr. Achim Barchmann, State Assemblyman, Social Democratic Party (SDP).
23. Dr. Hanspeter Bartels, State Assemblyman, SDP.
24. He Hansdieter Schlimmer, Mayor of the town of Landau.
25. Mr. Ingo Rothlingshofer, Mayor of Neustadt ad Weinstraße, Chairman, the Local Christian Democratic Party (CDP).
Scholars:
26. Ms. Vera Stadtlengsfeld, civil rights activist in the former German Democratic Republic, the former Federal Member of National Assembly, holder of the National Service medal.
27. Dr. Heiner Geissler, former Federal Minister, former General Secretary of the Christian Democratic Party (CDP).
28. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Anders, Speyer City.
29. He Janosch Armbrust, Bachelor of Social Education, Waldsee City.
30. Hans Bader, Engineer, NeustadtHambach City.
31. Mr Michael Baum, Bachelor of Social, Bad Durkheim City.
32. Prof. Dr. Thomas Baumer, Stuttgart City.
33. Mr. Harald Beeck, former director of the publishing department of a savings bank (Sparkasse), Germany.
34. Dr. Theo Blickle, Neustadt City A.D.W.
35. Prof. Dr. Maria Böhmer, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
36. Mrs. Julia Brown, Bachelor of Social Education, Ludwigshafen am Rhein City.
37. Dr. Jörg Breitmaier, City Health director, Ludwigshafen am Rhein City.
38. Mr. Engelbert Broich, Bachelor of Education, NeustadtHaardt City.
39. Mrs. Gertrude Broich, Bachelor of Education, City of NeustadtHaardt.
40. Dr. Magnus Buhlert, Bremen.
41. Ms. Sabine Busch, Bachelor of Social Education, Ludwigshafen City A.R.
42. Ms. Petra DauschFranz, Bachelor of Education, Social Affairs, Eschbach / Pfalz City.
43. Mrs. Marietta Decker Heuser, agricultural engineers, Neustadta.d.Weinstrasse.
44. Ms Esther Ding, pharmacist, Speyer.
45. Mr. Thomas Dressler, Ph.D. Engineer, Neustadt ADW.
46. Ms. Ursula Dressler, Business Administrator, Neustadt ADW.
47. Dr. Harald Duffner, Baden Baden.
48. Ms. Ingrid Ebert, Political Science, Speyer.
49. Mr. Eugen Ennemoser, Engineer Ludwigshafen A. R.
50. Mr. Josef Faath, Bachelor of Mathematics, Neustadt AD Weinstrasse.
51. Dr. Maryam Taheri Fard, Frankfurt AM Main.
52. Mr. Roland Fecht, Engineer, Neustadt AD Weinstrasse.
53. Bernd Flocken, engineers, Ludwigshafen A.Rhein.
54. Ms. Claudia FoltzLaping, Bachelor of Social Education, Neustadt ADW.
55. Mr. Wolfgang Franz, Bachelor of Social Education, Herxheim / Pfalz.
56. Dr Franzius Martin, chief doctor, Central Hospital, Bremen Ost.
57. Dr. Arndt Fuhr, Bad Kreuznach.
58. Ms. Iris Fuhr, agricultural engineer, Bachelor of Education, Bad Kreuznach.
59. Prof. Dr. Michael Gassenmeier, DuisburgEssen.
60. Prof. Dr. Arnd Gotzelmann, Ludwigshafen am Rhein.
61. Prof. Dr. Stefan Grüne, chief doctor, Neustadt ADW.
62. Mr. Wolfgang Gruber, Former Director, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
63. Mr Michael Guth, Bachelor of Design, Karlsruhe.
64. Alexander Dr Hammer, Nuermberg.
65. Mr. Dr. Christian Hammer.
66. Prof. Dr. Eveline Häusler, Karlsruhe.
67. Ms. Annette Herrmann, BA Sociology of Education, Neustadt ADW.
68. Mr. Felix Herrmann, Engineer, Neustadt ADW.
69. Mr. Ulrich Heuser, Agricultural Engineer, Neustadt ADW.
70. Mr. William Heuss, BA Sociology, Ludwigshafen a. R.
71. Ms. Caren Hilberg, Ethnologist, Bonn.
72. Professor Dr. Bruno Hildenbrand, Jena.
73. Ms. Beate Hofmann, psychiatric nurse, Mannheim.
74. Catherine Hofrichter, Bachelor of Psychology, Neustadt ADW.
75. Dr. Ansgar Hohmann, Ulm.
76. Mr. Andreas Hopfenzitz, BA Sociology, Bad Durkheim.
77. Prof. Dr. Lieselotte IhleSchmidt, Heidelberg.
78. She Irmtraud Jungmann – Förster, BA Sociology, Neustadt ADW.
79. Hans Kamb, lawyer, Neustadt ADW.
80. Ms Helene Kamb, Doctor, Neustadt ADW.
81. Mrs Ute Kals, BA Psychology, Neustadt ADW (wife of Professor Kals).
82. Ms. Petra KellerHolzmann, psychologic nurse, Speyer.
83. Dr. Michael Klein, Landau.
84. Ms. Knoll Dr Ulrike, Ludwigshafen AR (am Rhein).
85. HansGunther Knoll, Head Doctor, Neustadt ADW.
86. Prof. Dr. Franz Knapp, Neustadt ADW.
87. Prof. Dr. Werner Kramer, Ludwigshafen am Rhein.
88. Dr. Julia Kuschnereit, Social Ministry, RheinlandPfalz.
89. Ms. Sabine Lang, BA Sociology, Mannheim.
90. Mr. Norbert Laping, Bachelor of Education, Neustadt ADW.
91. Mr. Olaf Lutge, BA Sociology, Neustadt a.d.Weinstrasse.
92. Professor Dr. Walter Motsch, Neustadt ADW.
93. Mr Johannes Müller, Dental Specialist, Neustadt ADW.
94. Ms. Conny Müller, teacher, Neustadt ADW.
95. Dr Oliver Mussig, Head of Central Hospital, BremenOst.
96. Dr. Hartwig Neumann, Neustadt ADW.
97. Mrs. Imke Neumann, secondary school teacher, NeustadtHambach.
98. Ms. Michaela Nenninger, Bachelor of Education, Landau id.Pfalz.
99. Prof. Dr. Hans Raffee, Mannheim.
100. Mr. Saman Rashid, BA Sociology, Ludwigshafen.
101. Michael Runge, psychiatric nurse, Ludwigshafen AR.
102. Ms Marita Seegers, Bachelor of Theology.
103. SchmidtSercander Barbara, Bachelor of energy, Landau.
104. Ms Marianne SchmidtSercander, Bachelor of Education, Neustadt ADW.
105. Sylvia SchmidtSercander, Architect, Karlsruhe.
106. Professor, Dr Michael Schmidt, Bingen.
107. Dr. Christian Schondorf, Neustadt ADW.
108. Mr. Heinz Schröder, Bachelor of Theology, engineer, Neustadt. ADW.
109. Dr. Bernd Schumacher, Heidelberg.
110. Dr. Karlheinz Sporkmann, Landau.
111. Dr. Michael Stapper, Mainz.
112. Dr. Walter Steinmetz, Kaiserslautern.
113. Dr. Margarita StraubingerSchondorf, Neustadt ADW.
114. Mr. Siegfried Strittmatter, Lawyer, Ludwigshafen a. Rheine.
115. Ulrich Thul, Bachelor of Education, Ludwigshafen.
116. Ms Sigrid Trillich, Bachelor of Education, Sociology, Mannheim.
117. Ms Susanne Vierling, BA Psychology, Neustadt ADW.
118. Ms Anja Voigt, BA sociology, Ludwigshafen a. R.
119. Dr. Christoph Vorwerk, Köln.
120. Mr. Arthur Wagner, Bachelor of Theology, military chaplain, München.
121. Ms. Katharina Wagner, Bachelor of Religious Education, NeustadtGeinsheim.
122. Prof. Dr. Helmut Wannenwetsch, Mannheim.
123. Ms Martina Werth, Bachelor of Sociology Education, Landau / Pfalz.
124. Rev. Dr. Heiner Wilmer, SCJ, Bonn.
125. Dr. Günther Sattel, SDP, Grünstadt.
126. Dr. Winfried Wiegrabe, Neustadt ADW.
127. Mr. Hartwig Witthoft, Bachelor of Education, Neustadt ADW.
128. Mrs Herta Witthoft, Bachelor of Education, Neustadt ADW.
129. Ms Bettina Wolling, mathematician, Neustadt ADW.
130. Dr Gerburg Dr. Zech, Neustadt ADW.
131. Professor Michel Waldschmidt, Pierre et Marie Curie University, Paris / France.
132. Anne Tachon, lawyer, Antony / France.
133. Mr Alexandra Dumitresco, lawyer Antony / France.
134. Mr. Pierre Degoul, Attorney, Neuilly sur Seine / France.
Political parties:
135. Mr. Pascal Bender, SPD party chairman, Neustadt Weinstrasse City.
136. Mr. Kurt Beck, Former Prime Minister, RheinlandPfalz , President of Stiftung FriedrichEbert.
137. Ms. Rosel Becker, SPD party, Ellerstadt.
138. Mr. Christian Deimel, SPD, Bockenheim Weinstrasse.
139. Mr. Herrmann Gullich, SPD, Esthal.
140. Jens Guth, General Secretary of the SPD party, RheinlandPfalz State.
141. Mr. Wolfgang Hofmann, SPD party member, Grünstadt.
142. Ms Marita Kessler, SPD party, Neustadt ADW.
143. Julia Klockner, CDU leader, RheinlandPflaz State.
144. Hans Koch, SPD party, Neustadt ADW.
145. Mr. Erwin Lingnau, SPD party, Bad Durkheim.
146. Rolf Ohk, SPD party, Ruppertsberg.
147. Eleanor Remmele, SPD party,Wattenheim area.
148. Mr. Wilfried Bernhardt, SPD party, Ellerstadt.
149. Mr. Kurt Wolf, SPD, Bad Durkheim.
Others:
150. Mr Mark Herr, spokesman for the Diocese Bishop City, Speyer.
151. Sister Ambrosia, St. Dominic Academy, Speyer.
152. Rev. Darek Bryk, LudwigshafenOggersheim.
153. Rev. August Hülsmann, Neustadt ADW Diocese.
154. Rev. and Director Alban Meissner, Ludwigshafen AR.
155. Mr. Riadh Hasson, Drama Scholar, Ludwigshafen City, AR.
156. Mr. Albin König, the German Red Cross, Sasbach.
157. Franz Alt, journalist and composer.
158. Mrs Biggi Alt.
