September 30, 2010
Human rights defender Professor Pham Minh Hoang has been officially charged under Article 79 of the Vietnamese Penal Code with “carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration”, an offence which carries the death penalty as a maximum sentence. It has been reported that he will be detained for at least four months while investigations are being carried out.
Prof. Pham Minh Hoang, an anti-mining activist, was arrested in Saigon on 13 August 2010 under suspicion of belonging to an outlawed organisation. The authorities did not acknowledge his arrest until 9 September, after almost one month of incommunicado detention in an unknown location.
According to the source, Vietnamese police stated that Prof. Pham Minh Hoang and his wife, Le Thi Kieu Oanh, travelled to Malaysia in November 2009 to take part in a course on non-violent struggle methods organised by the banned pro-democracy group, Viet Tan. Prof. Pham Minh Hoang later tried to organise a similar course for 40 students in Vietnam after his return to the country. The police have accused Prof. Pham Minh Hoang of using this as a cover in order to recruit people into Viet Tan, adding that he has confessed to his crimes. Police also stated that they had evidence to prove that Le Thi Kieu Oanh was a member of Viet Tan, but that they have not taken action against her as she is caring for the couple’s daughter.
Le Thi Kieu Oanh stated that she has not been allowed to visit Prof. Pham Minh Hoang since his arrest. She believes that his arrest was linked to his criticism of Chinese-run bauxite mines in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.
Front Line further expresses its concern regarding three other Vietnamese human rights defenders who have also been arrested under Article 79 of the Vietnamese Penal Code and may potentially face the death penalty. Pastor Duong Kim Khai, Ms Tran Thi Thuy, both land rights activists, were arrested on 10 August 2010. Mr Nguyen Thanh Tam, also a land rights activist in Ben Tre, was arrested on 18 July 2010. It is believed that all three human rights defenders have been charged under Article 79 in connection with their work opposing land confiscation by the authorities. Their families have yet to be informed about their whereabouts or whether a trial date has been set.
Source: Front Line Defenders
