Hanoi, 18 February 2014
The European Union Delegation to Vietnam expresses its concern over today’s rejection, by Hanoi’s Supreme People’s Court, of blogger and lawyer Le Quoc Quan’s appeal against his earlier sentence to 30 months in prison and monetary penalties on tax evasion charges.
In August 2013, the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found his detention to be arbitrary for violation of fair trial standards and requested the Government to take necessary steps to remedy his situation.
We recall the fundamental right for all persons to hold opinions and freely and peacefully express them, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Vietnam is a party. The sentencing is particularly disappointing in light of Vietnam’s election to the UN Human Rights Council.
The Delegation reiterates prior calls on Vietnam to respect the right to freedom of expression and for the release of all peaceful advocates of human rights in the country.
The EU also expresses its readiness to continue working in partnership with Vietnam on these and other human rights and rule of law issues.
