Nguyen Ngoc Quang arrested by Hue Public Security at the transit station – Truong Quoc Huy arrested for two weeks with no word on his whereabouts
By Tuan Tu
Today, September 2, 2006, after the meeting between Father Nguyen Van Ly and Nguyen Ngoc Quang, Pham Ba Hai and Le Tri Tue, Nguyen Ngoc Quang went to the transit station in Hue to take the next bus to Quang Tri. The purpose for Quang’s trip to Quang Tri was to visit his family whom he had not seen in a long time, and to offer incense before his beloved father’s final resting grave. While waiting for departure, Quang saw a group of Public Security moving toward him. Quang immediately called Pham Ba Hai and Le Tri Tue to alert them of his dangerous situation. Pham Ba Hai and Le Tri Hue were on the phone with Quang but the phone was cut off in the middle of the conversation. It was 4:45pm. Both Pham Ba Hai and Le Tri Tue believe that Quang was arrested on the bus.
Immediately, Le Tri Tue and Pham Ba Hai went to the transit station to follow what had happened to Quang. The two soon learned that Quang was brought by Public Security to the office of the station. Friends and those who know Quang expected that the Public Security would only detain Quang for a few hours for interrogation and Quang would be released because he did not commit any crime. But by the time this news report is being written at 11:30pm on September 2, 2006, Quang has not been released. As for Le Tri Tue and Pham Ba Hai, both are being followed wherever they go. When these two men come into an Internet café, there are people standing and observing right behind them.
As is publicly known, Quang, Le Tri Tue and Pham Ba Hai are members of the Bloc 8406. In early August of 2006, Nguyen Ngoc Quang, Pham Ba Hai, Vu Hoang Hai and Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram were summoned by Saigon Public Security for interrogation for their membership in the Bloc 8406. Nguyen Ngoc Quang and Pham Ba Hai recorded the entire interrogation and posted it on the Internet. Since then, the outside world has learned of the practices that violate human rights committed by the Public Security toward these two citizens in particular, and to the Vietnamese people in general.
Meanwhile, let us recap the situation of Truong Quoc Huy who is currently being detained and investigated by the Vietnamese communist authorities. As previously reported, at 8:00pm on August 18, 2006, local Public Security arrested Truong Quoc Huy and his younger brother Truong Quoc Tuan as the two were at an Internet café at 220 Hoa Hao Street to check email, read news and log on to Paltalk to listen to an online discussion (without speaking in the online discussion). At 10:00pm, Public Security brought Huy in handcuffs back to his home for a search and they confiscated a camera, a recorder, two mobile phones, two CDs, one briefcase, and a book titled “National Referendum” (by Do Nam Hai). At midnight, Huy was taken back into custody of the Public Security. As of today, Huy’s family has not received any news on his whereabouts. Truong Quoc Tuan was released at 3:00am the next day. When Huy was arrested, the Public Security never presented a court warrant.
According to sources, authorities brought Huy to Ha Noi and have not allowed his family to visit. Huy’s friends believe that he was arrested because authorities suspected that he was the one who recorded the interrogation between the Public Security and Nguyen Ngoc Quang, and posted it on the Internet two weeks prior. However, Nguyen Ngoc Quang has confirmed in writing that it was he who recorded the interrogation and posted it on the Internet. This might be the reason that Nguyen Ngoc Quang was arrested on the bus today (September 2, 2006).
It is not illegal or wrong to record interrogations with the Public Security and post it on the Internet as a method of publicizing the information for self-defense toward the acts of violations of rights. This is simply peaceful and smart advocacy on the part of citizens, and any regime which respects the rights of citizens must accept. Only the regime that wants to cover up its crimes would be afraid for it does not want these wrongful and illegal interrogations to be publicized to the whole world.
We appeal to all those who cherish Freedom and Democracy to find all appropriate means to advocate for Truong Quoc Huy and Nguyen Ngoc Quang, two peaceful pro-democracy activists and members of the Bloc 8406.
