In the Midst of a Global Pandemic, Families of Prisoners of Conscience Call for their Immediate Release

The following is a joint letter from the families of prisoners of conscience asking for their immediate release from Vietnamese detention centers fearing the high risks of being infected with the novel Coronavirus.

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CALLING FOR THE RELEASE OF PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE

To: The Leaders of the Vietnamese Government

We, the families of the following prisoners of conscience, urge the Vietnamese authorities to immediately release these prisoners, in view of their high risks of being infected with the coronavirus.

Because of the pandemic over the past few months, we have not been able to visit or provide supplies to our loved ones. We are extremely concerned about their well-being. Many of them  have severe underlying health problems with poor immunity, which can be exacerbated by the prison living conditions. Therefore, the prospect of having a COVID-19 outbreak within the crowded prison setting is exceedingly high.

For that reason, many human rights organizations, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Defend The Defenders, and the Vietnam Human Rights Network, have called on the Vietnamese government to immediately release prisoners who do not pose a threat to society.

We can assure you that these prisoners of conscience are peaceful people who only wish to build a just and prosperous society. We are also certain that upon release, they will not be a threat to anyone, but on the contrary, they shall contribute significantly to our society.

Finally, the Vietnamese government, and particularly Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, will face severe criticism and diminished credibility should these prisoners of conscience fall victim to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the benefit of our nation and for the lives of these patriotic citizens, we emphatically call on the Vietnamese authorities to RELEASE ALL PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE.

Signed by the following family members of the Prisoners of Conscience, as of April 16, 2020:

1. Lê Đính Kim Thoa – Wife of Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức, phone number: +84 90 xxxx
2. Bùi Thị Hồng Loan – Wife of Phạm Chí Dũng, phone number: +8483 xxxx
3. Nguyễn Thị Quý – Wife of Lê Đình Lượng, phone number: 0356 xxxx
4. Nguyễn Thị Huệ & Huỳnh Đức Thịnh –  Parents of Huỳnh Đức Thanh Bình, phone number: 0903 xxxx
5. Nguyễn Thị Lành – Wife of Nguyễn Trung Tôn, phone number: 0344 xxxx
6. Nguyễn Thị Huyền Trang – Wife of Phạm Văn Trội, phone number: 0839 xxxx
7. Trần Thanh Thủy – Wife of Lê Quý Lộc, phone number: 0931 xxxx
8. Phan Thị Trang – Sister of Phan Kim Khánh, phone number: 0982 xxxx
9. Trần Thị An – Wife of Lê Thanh Tùng, phone number: 0354 xxxx
10. Hoàng Đức Nguyên – Brother of Hoàng Đức Bình, phone number: 0972 xxxx
11. Nguyễn Thị Huệ – Sister of Nguyễn Văn Hoá, phone number: 0941 xxxx
12. Dạ Trần Quyết Tiến – Brother of Trần Thị Xuân, phone number: 0911 xxxx
13. Nguyễn Quang Trung – Son of Nguyễn Trung Trực, phone number: 0339 xxxx
14. Nguyễn Thị Kim Thanh – Wife of Trương Minh Đức, phone number: 0946 xxxx
15. Nguyễn Thị Sen – Mother of Hồ Anh Tuấn, phone number: 0387 xxxx
16. Đinh Thị Xa – Wife of Đinh Diêm, phone number: 0901 xxxx
17. Bùi Thị Rề – Wife of Nguyễn Văn Túc, phone number: 0834 xxxx
18. Nguyễn Kim Hoa – Mother of Võ Hoàng Ngọc, phone number: 0931 xxxx
19. Lê Thị Khanh – Wife of Trần Thanh Phương, phone number: 0908 xxxx
20. Huỳnh Thị Út – Mother of Trần Hoàng Phúc, phone number: 0898 xxxx
21. Nguyễn Thị Châu – Wife of Nguyễn Ngoc Ánh, phone number: 0365 xxxx
22. Huỳnh Thị Kim Nga – Wife of Ngô Văn Dũng, phone number: 0914 xxxx
23. Đoàn Thị Khánh – Sister of Đoàn Thị Hồng, phone number: 0813 xxxx
24. Lê Thị Thập – Wife of Lưu Văn Vịnh, phone number: 0832 xxxx
25. Đỗ Thị Bé – Wife of Hồ Đình Cương, phone number: 0989 xxxx
26. Trần Nữ Long Duyên – Wife of Lê Văn Phương, phone number: 0363 xxxx
27. Thị Hanh – Mother of Từ Công Nghĩa, phone number: 0387 xxxx
28. Nguyễn Thị Lâm – Sister of Nguyễn Quốc Hoàn, phone number: 0917 xxxx
29. Hồ Thị Châu – Wife of Nguyễn Văn Oai, phone number: 0986 xxxx
30. Nguyễn Thị Tình – Wife of Nguyễn Năng Tĩnh, phone number: 0988 xxxx
31. Lê Thị Bình – Sister of Lê Minh Thể, phone number: 0937 xxxx
32. Hồ Văn Lực & Hồ Đức Hiền – Brother & Father of Hồ Đức Hoà, phone number: 0979 xxxx
33. Nguyễn Đình Khôi – Brother of Nguyễn Đình Khuê, phone number: 0903 xxxx
34. Nguyễn Thị Diệu Hồng – Mother of Nguyễn Viết Dũng, phone number: 0915 xxxx
35. Trần Thị Thu Thủy – Sister of Đặng Thị Huệ, phone number: 0972 xxxx
36. Phạm Thị Xuân – Wife of Nguyễn Văn Nghiêm, phone number: 0368 xxxx
37. Vương Ngọc Thảo – Daughter of Vương Văn Thả, phone number: 6698 xxxx
38. Nguyễn Đức Hải – Brother of Nguyễn Văn Đức Độ, phone number: 0908 xxxx
39. Đỗ Hoàng Thảo Uyên – Sister of Trần Long Phi, phone number: 0919 xxxx
40. Trần Văn Long – Father of Trần Long Phi, phone number: 6682 xxxx
41. Huỳnh Thì Hết – Aunt of Nguyễn Văn Thương & Nguyễn Nhật Trường, phone number: 8432 xxxx
42. Nguyễn Vũ Tuấn Anh – Son of Vũ Thị Dung, phone number: 0964 xxxx
43. Nguyễn Thái Văn – Father of Nguyễn Văn Điển, phone number: 0365 xxxx
44. Nguyễn Thị Trúc – Wife of Trương Hữu Lộc, phone number: 0931 xxxx
45. Bùi Thị Sen – Wife of Huỳnh Minh Tâm, phone number: 0368 xxxx
46. Nguyễn Hữu Lộc – Husband of Huỳnh Thị Tố Nga, phone number: 0902 xxxx
47. Nguyễn Thị Thơm – Wife of Trần Anh Kim, phone number: 0395 xxxx
48. Trần Thị Niêm – Mother of Lê Anh Hùng, phone number: 0399 xxxx
49. Trương Quỳnh Trang – Wife of Châu Văn Khảm, phone number: +61 42 xxxx

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The list will continue to be updated as more relatives call upon the release of their loved ones. If anyone is interested in signing this joint letter, please provide your information to TNLT2020Covid@gmail.com

Phone numbers have been censored to protect the privacy of the individuals, but will be specified when sent to the relevant agencies, both in Vietnam and internationally.