Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, Lawyers for Lawyers, and Amnesty International Netherlands release a statement condemning the attack on human rights attorney Le Quoc Quan.
August 30, 2012
His Excellency Truong Tan Sang
President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
35 Ngo Quye, Hoan Kiem District
Hanoi, Vietnam
Re: Mr. Le Quoc Quan
Lawyers Rights Watch Canada [1], Lawyers for Lawyers [2] and Amnesty International Netherlands [3] (the Signatory Organizations) are concerned to learn that one of Vietnam’s well known lawyers, Mr. Le Quoc Quan, has been severely injured due to a violent attack that occurred on Sunday, 19 August 2012.
According to our information Mr. Le Quoc Quan was attacked near his home in Hanoi and was struck by a steel baton on his knee, thigh and back. As a result Mr. Le Quoc Quan had to recover in the hospital for a number of days.
Mr. Le Quoc Quan is a prominent lawyer and human rights defenders. Although he can no longer formally exercise his work as a lawyer following his disbarment, he continues to fight for and defend civil rights in Vietnam through his blogs and other actions.
Like many Vietnamese human rights lawyers, bloggers and activists, Mr. Le Quoc Quan has regularly been subject to arbitrary arrest and has been on constant surveillance. The Signatory Organizations have reason to believe that this recent violent attack on Mr. Le Quoc Quan as well as the previous arbitrary arrests and constant harassment are directly linked to Mr. Le Quoc Quan’s work in the defence of human rights.
This conduct is contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human RIghts, which contains international principles adopted by the United Nations and which remains the cornerstone of the UN human rights system. More specific for the role of human rights defenders and lawyers we endorse article 6c [4] and 12 paragraph 2 [5] of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and 23 [6] of the Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, instruments that are universally applicable. Moreover, this conduct is contrary to article 9 [7] of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which treaty Vietnam has ratified, and by which Vietnam is therefore legally bound.
In view of the above, the Signatory Organizations urge and call upon Your Excellency, in compliance with the international human rights obligations of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, to:
- conduct a credible investigation into this violent attack on Mr. Le Quoc Quan and hold accountable anyone that is responsible;
- take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Le Quoc Quan; and
- more generally, put an end to all forms of harassment against human rights defenders in Vietnam, and ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments applicable to Vietnam.
In addition to our request, we would like to stress the following. The government of Vietnam has recently indicated its intentions to run for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. As a first step to show its commitment to human rights principles, the government of Vietnam should end its conduct as described above. Unless it does so, it will not be able to fulfill the membership criteria of upholding the highest human rights standards and cooperating with the council.
We thank you for your attention to our concerns. The Signatory Organizations are confident of your good will and sense of justice and will monitor this case closely.
Sincerely,
Gail Davidson, Executive Director, Lawyers Right Watch Canada
Adrie van de Streek, Executive Director, Lawyers for Lawyers
Eduard Nazarski, Director, Amnesty International Netherlands
Copied to:
His Excellencies Mr. Nguyen Tan Dung, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Mr. Ha Hung Cuong, Minister of Justice of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Mr. Vu Dung, Permanent Representative of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the UN
Mr. John Hendra, UN Resident Coordinator in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Mr. Joop Scheffers, Ambassador of the Royal Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
