In responding to calls from the Vietnamese Community in Australia, three Australian politicians have written letters to the Vietnamese Authorities requesting for the immediate release of current imprisoned democracy activists.
Senator Doug Cameron’s letter
Pham Gia Khiem
Minister of Foreign Affairs
1 Ton That Dam Street
Ba Dinh District
Ha Noi
VIETNAM
24 July 2009
Dear Minister,
I am writing to express grave concerns regarding the arrests by Vietnamese authorities of Messrs Nguyen Tien Trung and Tran Anh Kim on the 7th of July 2009 and the human rights lawyer Mr Le Cong Dinh on 13th of June 2009.
Vietnamese authorities have stated Mr Dinh was arrested for counselling pro-democracy activists and using the Internet to express his views. Both Nguyen Tien Trung and Tran Anh Kim have been charged with promoting movements that advocate an alternative political system. No individual should be arrested for expressing their views and no lawyer should be punished for the individuals they counsel.
Vietnam’s constitution and it’s commitment to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) entitles all of its citizens to religious freedom, freedom of opinion, freedom of speech, and the right to form associations of their own choosing. The arrests of Nguyen Tien Trung, Tran Anh Kim and Le Cong Dinh contradict the Vietnamese Government’s constitution and its commitment to the internationally-accepted standards of the ICCPR.
I urge the Vietnamese government to safeguard the rights of these men, and all other prisoners in detention for peacefully expressing their views.
Yours faithfully
Senator Doug Cameron
Senator for New South Wales
Australian MP Christopher Pyne’s letter
5 August 2009
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung
Office of the Prime Minister
Hoang Hoa Tham
HaNoi
VIETNAM
Dear Prime Minister,
I write as one of a number of international legislators to express my personal concern, as well as many of my constituents, at the arrest of a number of supporters of democratic reform in your country.
In particular, my attention has been drawn to the recent arrests of Mr Nguyen Tien Trung, and Colonel Tran Anh Kim on 7 July, as well as Attorney Le Cong Dinh on 16 June, and Father Nguyen Van Ly, who was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment and 5 further years of house arrest on 30 March 2007.
I fully appreciate our respective countries’ different legal systems, and I respect Vietnam’s sovereignty in this area. My letter is to advocate for a reconsideration of these individuals’ situations.
Article 69 of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam guarantees freedom of speech. Vietnam has also assigned itself to various international legal obligations: including but not limited to the following: Article 9 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which provides protection from arbitrary arrest. Articles 18(1) and 19(1) of the ICCPR guarantee freedom of thought, speech and opinion.
I would urge your Government to recommit itself to these articles, and to your citizen’s rights to freedom of peaceful expression. Please take this into consideration in relation to the cases of Mr Nguyen Tien Trung, Colonel Tran Anh Kim, Attorney Le Cong Dinh, Father Nguyen Van Ly, and other individuals who may express different points of view with your Government.
Yours sincerely,
Christopher Pyne MP
Australian MP Luke Donnellan’s letter
His Excellency Nguyen Minh Triet
President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
c/o Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
6 Timbarra Crescent
O’Malley
ACT 2606
6th August 2009
Dear Mr President,
I am writing to express my great concern over the arrest and detention of peaceful dissidents by your government. It is the right of every person to peacefully express their political and religious beliefs. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is breaching the rights of its citizens that chose to give voice to beliefs or ideas that are not in line with the ideas and beliefs of the government.
The right to freedom of opinion, of speech and of association has been recognised by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Your nation has done this by signing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Furthermore, the constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam also recognises these rights. I have visited Father Ly in Hue, and was very disappointed to see that he has been sentenced to another eight years in jail by your government. I also met Do Nam Hai a poet and writer whose life is tormented by local police; this is a sad image for Vietnam that should not continue.
Vietnam is obligated by both international law and its very own constitution to free its political prisoners from a detention that is unconstitutional and illegal. Vietnam is further obliged to ensure that any person arrested on charges of anti-government dissent is give a fair trial and provided with a full and unrestricted opportunity to defend themselves before the court.
If Vietnam fulfils its constitutional and international treaty obligations to release its political prisoners the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam will provide the world with a brilliant display of both its legitimacy its and commitment to defending the rights of its citizens.
Thank you in advance for your assistance and support in this important matter.
Respectfully,
Luke Donnellan MP
State Member for Narre Warren North
Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier of Victoria
