The latest news from Vietnam is that authorities have cancelled all three political trials scheduled for later this week in Hai Phong and Hanoi. The government is fearful of international criticism while state president Nguyen Minh Triet is in New York for the UN General Assembly.
The cases of the eight democracy activists have garnered substantial attention in Vietnam and abroad. Family members of the detained have just released an open letter, addressed to UN Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon and Heads of States attending the UN General Assembly. This letter is “An appeal to the United Nations to address human rights abuses in Vietnam and intervene on behalf of democracy activists in jail.”
Viet Tan
An appeal to the United Nations to address human rights abuses in Vietnam and intervene on behalf of democracy activists in jail
Vietnam, September 24, 2009
To: United Nations Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon
Heads of State attending the UN General Assembly in New York
We, the undersigned, are relatives of political dissidents who have been detained by the security apparatus in Vietnam since September 10, 2008:
- Writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia, 60 years old
- University student Ngo Quynh, 25 years old
- Teacher Vu Hung, 43 years old
- Engineer Pham Van Troi, 40 years old
- Mr. Nguyen Manh Son, 66 years old
- Mr. Nguyen Van Tinh, 67 years old
- Mr. Nguyen Van Tuc, 45 years old
- Mr. Nguyen Kim Nhan, 60 years old
Our relatives have been charged with “propaganda against the state” under Article 88 of the Vietnamese Penal Code, when in fact they have spoken out for Vietnamese territorial sovereignty and called for freedom, democracy and human rights.
Based on the above actions, our relatives are guilty of no crime. They are patriotic Vietnamese who are peacefully advocating for freedom, democracy and human rights for Vietnam. These are rights which are clearly spelled out in the Vietnamese constitution. Moreover, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, maintains that citizens of all states possess “the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”; and Article 9 of the Declaration affirms that: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.”
On the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2009 with the attendance of Nguyen Minh Triet, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, we urgently call on the UN Secretary-General and Heads of States to directly intervene with Nguyen Minh Triet and request the Government of Vietnam to abide by UN human rights conventions, to stop repressing political dissidents, to respect human rights, and to release our relatives.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Signed jointly,
- Nguyen Thi Nga, wife of Nguyen Xuan Nghia, Hai Phong, Viet Nam
- Ngo Quyen, brother of Ngo Quynh, Bac Giang, Viet Nam
- Ly Thi Tuyet Mai, wife of Vu Hung, Ha Tay, Viet Nam
- Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang, wife of Pham Van Troi, Ha Tay, Viet Nam
- Nguyen Thi Thao, wife of Nguyen Manh Son, Hai Phong, Viet Nam
- Duong Thi Hai, wife of Nguyen Van Tinh, Hai Phong, Viet Nam
- Bui Thi Re, wife of Nguyen Van Tuc, Thai Binh, Viet Nam
- Ngo Thi Loc, wife of Nguyen Kim Nhan, Bac Giang, Viet Nam
