Update on October 14, 2011: Professor Pham Minh Hoang’s appeals trial, announced only three days before the scheduled date, has been postponed. No reason was given by the so-called People’s Court of Ho Chi MInh City.
October 12, 2011
According to articles published on October 11, 2011 by Vietnamese state media, the appeals trial for renowned blogger and mathematics lecturer Pham Minh Hoang will take place on October 14 in Saigon. Yet neither Pham Minh Hoang’s family nor defense lawyer have received official notification from the court. This lack of notice is a violation of Vietnam’s criminal procedure code and Prof. Hoang’s right to a fair trial. It further demonstrates the phony nature of the judicial system in Vietnam where political cases are determined in advance and outside of the court proceedings.
Even Pham Minh Hoang’s original sentence of three years imprisonment and three years house arrest for subversion (according to Article 79 of the penal code) was handed down in a closed, half day trial on August 10, 2011. Prior to that, on May 30, 2011, seven religious and democracy activists—including Viet Tan members Duong Kim Khai, Tran Thi Thuy and Nguyen Thanh Tam—were also convicted of subversion during a summary trial. Both of these travesties of justice were denounced by international human rights groups.
Viet Tan condemns the arbitrary detention of Prof. Pham Minh Hoang. We will continue to press for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Vietnam.
Contact: Duy Hoang +1.202.470.0845
