The Hon Stephen Smith MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
CANBERRA
Ref: PJ – NGUY
Dear Minister,
I am writing this letter to express my concern at the recent jailing of 9 democracy activists in Vietnam.
These include poet Tran Duc Thach, High school teacher Vu Hung, Engineer Pham Van Troi, Writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia, university student Ngo Quynh, former communist party member Nguyen Manh Son, essayist Nguyen Van Tinh, land rights activist Nguyen Van Tuc, and electrician Nguyen Kim Nhan. Their sentences range from two to six years of imprisonment.
These activists were criminalised for their exercise of the freedom of speech which is supposedly protected by the Vietnamese Constitution. This is a clear violation of the international covenants on human rights to which Vietnam is a signatory. Of a particular concern is the case of writer and human rights activist Tran Khai Thanh Thuy. I was informed that Thuy and her husband were assaulted and arrested by plain clothes policemen while travelling to support the above activists on trial. I have learnt that since being detained, Ms Thuy’s health has deteriorated with worsening diabetes and heart conditions due to poor medical care while in prison.
I am therefore quite concerned about her well-being and seeking your assistance, through our embassy in Vietnam, to make inquiries into the maltreatment of Ms Thuy and her family.
I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
Gary Humphries
Senator for the ACT
25 November 2009