-F1, Press Releases

Wave of Repression Blankets Vietnam

Viet Tan
11/09/2008

September 10, 2008

Communist authorities in Vietnam have arrested several democracy activists in the middle of the night and placed many others under house arrest. These actions come amidst the sentencing of a prominent blogger and appearances of large banners in urban areas calling for multi-party democracy and leaflets protesting the government’s territorial concessions to China.

On September 10, shortly before midnight, about a dozen security police raided the home of Pham Van Troi in Hanoi. Troi, a member of the Committee for Human Rights in Vietnam, was arrested according to his wife. At the same time, police in Hai Phong surrounded the home of writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia, a leader of the Bloc 8406, and seized him. A third democracy activist, Pham Thanh Nghien, reported that her home in Hai Phong was surrounded overnight by police. Other confirmed arrests last evening include university student Ngo Quynh and poet Tran Duc Thach.

Earlier in the day, in a closed-door trial in Saigon, authorities sentenced blogger Nguyen Van Hai (known by his pen name Dieu Cay) to 30 months in prison for tax evasion. However, everything about the case—how Dieu Cay was secretly arrested, his five months in prison without family visit, the government’s refusal to allow attorneys of his choice to represent him—indicates that the case was politically motivated. Dieu Cay wrote about Hanoi’s territorial concessions to Beijing. He had called for demonstrations against the Olympic torch relay in Saigon on April 29 when he was arrested.

Friends of Dieu Cay were summoned to police stations this week or isolated at home to prevent them from trying to attend the trial. Currently, bloggers Uyen Vu, Ta Phong Tan, Trang Dem, Thien Sau and Song Chi and attorneys Le Tran Luat and Phan Thanh Hai remain under house arrest or tight police surveillance. Hanoi authorities appear nervous before the 50th anniversary of a diplomatic note by former North Vietnamese prime minister Pham Van Dong recognizing China’s claims over islands historically belonging to Vietnam. Fifty Vietnamese citizens have initiated a petition campaign calling on the Hanoi government to nullify the September 14, 1958 diplomatic note. Recently, leaflets have been distributed at universities calling for protests outside the Chinese embassy on September 14th.

The government is also contending with the peaceful protest by thousands of Catholics for the return of confiscated church property. The protest of Thai Ha parish is entering its third week. Even though authorities have detained some protestors and used tear gas against crowds, the prayer vigils continue.

As American Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte visits Vietnam this week, the Hanoi leadership is trying to project a business as usual appearance while its security police is sweeping up dissidents throughout the country.

###

Contact:
Duy Hoang : +1 (202) 470-1678

LATEST ARTICLES

Nguyen Phu Trong Is Vietnam’s Last Communist

Viet Tan July 20, 2024

Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, passed away on the afternoon of July 19, 2024. Having held the highest positions in Communist Vietnam, Trong bears the greatest responsibility for the systemic repression of activists and religious and ethnic groups.

Over 20 organizations call on the U.S. not to grant market economy status to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Vietnamese American organizations July 10, 2024

Hanoi is waging an intense lobbying campaign to ask the US government to grant “market economy” status to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. In response, more than 20 Vietnamese and international organizations wrote to US President Joe Biden, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to urge the US administration to refuse to grant this market economy status for Vietnam at this time.

Rights groups urge Thailand not to extradite Vietnamese activist, saying he’s at risk if sent home

AP June 15, 2024

Y Quynh Bdap, who had United Nations refugee status in Thailand, was picked up by local police on Tuesday, the day after he had met with Canadian Embassy officials as he pursued asylum there, according to the Peace Rights Foundation, a Thai organization that had been in contact with him.

Vietnam UPR side event 2024 in Geneva

Viet Tan May 10, 2024

On the eve of Vietnam’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Viet Tan and nine international organizations held a conference to shed light on the human rights situation in Vietnam.

With members inside Vietnam and around the world,
Viet Tan aims to establish democracy
and reform the country through peaceful means.

© Copyright 2018 | Viet Tan