More than 60 Members of Australian Parliament have signed a letter to the Australian Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam regarding the dire human rights situation in Vietnam. Initiated by the Hon. Tim Wilson MP and the Hon. Chris Hayes MP and signed by Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Greens and Independent parties of the House of Representatives urged the Vietnamese government to honour its commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
26 October 2017
His Excellency Ngo Huong Nam
Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Australia
PO Box 98
Mawson ACT 2607
Your Excellency
We express our deep concern regarding Vietnam’s human rights defenders, bloggers and social activists who have been arrested and sentenced to lengthy prison sentences for exercising their right to free expression.
This year alone, there have been more than 20 activists who have been arrested, exiled or issued arrest warrants in one of the largest crackdowns to date. Many of these activists have been charged under vague laws quoting national security such as “attempting to overthrow the state” or “conducting propaganda against the state”.
Many of these human rights defenders remain detained without trial. Prominent Vietnamese human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai was arrested in December 2015 with no trial date set. It is worrying that five of his colleagues; Pham Van Troi, Truong Minh Duc, Nguyen Bac Truyen, Nguyen Trung Truc and Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton were detained in July, all accused of “attempting to overthrow the state”. Le Dinh Luong, an organiser within the Catholic community who spoke up for affected fishermen of the Formosa toxic chemical spill, was also detained within the same week.
Those who have been trialled this year have been sentenced to long prison terms of up to ten years. Bloggers Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Tran Thi Nga and Nguyen Van Oai were sentenced in one-day trials for discussing social injustices affecting those around them.
Earlier this year, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention noted that there have been several cases brought before the Working Group in recent years and recognised that the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of persons in Vietnam is a systematic and widespread problem.
We urge the Vietnamese government to honour its commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by immediately and unconditionally releasing human rights defenders and citizen journalists mentioned above as well as: Can Thi Theu, Ho Duc Hoa, Nguyen Dang Minh Minh, Nguyen Hoang Quoc Hung, Nguyen Van Hoa, Tran Huynh Duy Thuc and Tran Thi Thuy.
As Vietnam’s economy becomes more integrated within the international community, we believe that sustainable economic and social development can only be achieved by respecting freedoms and protecting those defending basic civil rights.
Yours sincerely,
Member for Goldstein
Member for Fowler
- Sharon Bird, Cunningham
- Justine Elliot, Richmond
- Michael Danby, Melbourne Ports
- Anthony Byrne, Holt
- Peter Khalil, Wills
- Rob Mitchell, McEwen
- Anne Aly, Cowan
- Tim Watts, Gellibrand
- David Feeney, Batman
- Matt Heogh, Burt
- Brian Mitchell, Lyons
- Joanne Ryan, Lalor
- Julian Hill, Bruce
- Adam Bandt, Melbourne
- Andrew Wilkie, Denison
- Stephen Jones, Whitlam
- Amanda Rishworth, Kingston
- Andrew Leigh, Fenner
- Claire O’Neil, Hotham
- Ed Husic, Chifley
- Shayne Neumann, Blair
- Catherine King, Ballarat
- Tanya Plibersek, Sydney
- Maria Vamvakinou, Calwell
- Ross Hart, Bass
- Anne Stanley, Werriwa
- Mike Freelander, Macarthur
- Josh Wilson, Fremantle
- Milton Dick, Oxley
- Meryl Swanson, Paterson
- Sharon Claydon, Newcastle
- Madeleine King, Brand
- Andrew Giles, Scullin
- Tony Zappia, Makin
- Mike Kelly, Eden Monaro
- Pat Conroy, Shortland
- Matt Thistlethwaite, Kingsford Smith
- Julie Owens, Parramatta
- Gai Brodtmann, Canberra
- Warren Snowdon, Lingiari
- Lisa Chesters, Bendigo
- Terri Butler, Griffith
- Steve Georganas, Hindmarsh
- Cathy O’Toole, Herbert
- Susan Templeman, Macquarie
- Emma McBride, Dobell
- Luke Gosling, Solomon
- Jason Falinski, Mackellar
- Steve Irons, Swan
- Craig Kelly, Hughes
- John McVeigh, Groom
- Trent Zimmerman, North Sydney
- Ian Goodenough, Moore
- John Alexander, Bennelong
- Ben Morton, Tangney
- Julian Leeser, Berowra
- George Christensen, Dawson
- Llew O’Brien, Wide Bay
- Kevin Hogan, Page
- Mark Coulton, Parkes
- Ken O’Dowd, Flynn
- David Littleproud, Maranoa
- Andrew Gee, Calare
- Michelle Landry, Capricornia
- Damian Drum, Murray
- Andrew Hastie, Canning