THE COMMITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN VIETNAM
P.O BOX 648 BỜ HỒ POST OFFICE, HÀ NỘI, VIỆT NAM
Email: humanrightsvn@gmail.com
www.humanrightsvn.blogspot.com
http://uybannhanquyenvietnam.blogspot.com
Condemnation of the Renewed Campaign of Suppression.
The Vietnamese Communist (VC) Rulers have challenged World's Public opinion by initiating a campaign of repression of Human Rights in September 2008 on such a scale that rivals the one that was employed at the beginning of 2007. Following is the chronology of such escalated activities:
Suppression Of Freedom And Democracy Advocates:
- September 1, 2008: the Government prevented Lawyer Le Quoc Quan, a Freedom and Human Rights activist, from traveling to Europe. Mr. Le had been jailed for 100 days in 2007 for no apparent reasons and savagely beaten when he took part in peaceful demonstration in Hanoi.
- September 8, 2008: student Ngo Quynh (of Bac Giang) was arrested and put in jail when he was on his way to the Catholic Parish of Thai Ha, Hanoi. Public security agents also assaulted him on June 28, 2008 in Lang Son Province.
- September 10, 2008: the VC [Court] sentenced 56-year-old Nguyen Van Hai, a resident of Saigon, also known as blogger Dieu Cay, to 2-year and 6-month prison term. In addition to numerous articles concerning civil rights published on the Internet, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai also participated in the demonstrations denouncing China's annexation of the Paracel and Spratly Archipelagos. Before his sentence, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai had been detained since April 19, 2008, when he visited Da Lat.
- September 10, 2008: the VC authorities rushed the residence of 59-year-old writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia at Hai Phong City at midnight, read the search warrant and arrested him for his "violation" of Article 88 of the Criminal Code. As staff member of Bloc 8406 and a strong supporter of the movement for democratization of Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Nghia was awarded Hellman/Hammett Prize this year for his works on Human Rights. He is now being put under temporary arrest at Detention Center B14, Hanoi. Before his arrest, public security agents assaulted Mr. Nghia when he demonstrated against China.
- September 10, 2008: at 11:30 PM, VC authorities also rushed the residence of Mr. Pham Van Troi, 36 years of age, a resident of Ha Tay, searched his house and arrested him. Mr. Pham Van Troi has been a member of The Committee For Human Rights In Vietnam since its inception on December 10, 2006. He was savagely beaten on November 27, 2007 in Hanoi and again on June 28, 2008 at Lang Son.
- September 10, 2008: the poet Tran Duc Thach (of Nghe An) was arrested while he was on his way to the Parish of Thai Ha. Also arrested on the same day was a victim of injustice, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuc of Thai Binh.
- September 13, 2008: victim of injustice Do Duy Thong was arrested at 10:00 AM
- September 14, 2008: public security arrested student Bui Quang Toan of Ha Dong to prevent him from participating in demonstrations.
- September 18, 2008: the Court of Appeal sentenced victim of injustice Luong Van Sinh, 40 years of age, member of Bloc 8406 and resident of Binh Thuan, to 2-year prison term according to Article 258 of the VC Criminal Code.
- September 18, 2008: at 14:15 hours, the VC authorities issued search warrant and arrested Ms. Pham Thanh Nghiem of Hai Phong, member of Bloc 8406. Ms. Nghien was assaulted by public security agents of July 04, 2008 while she was on the road.
- September 18, 2008: at 17:00 hours the VC authorities rushed and searched the residence of Mr. Vu Hung of Ha Tay, read to him Article 88 of the Criminal Code and put him under temporary arrest at Detention Center B14, Hanoi.
Suppression Of Religions
- The VC Authorities employed rough repressive measures such as assault, beating and tear gas against the Catholics of Thai Ha, Hanoi during their peaceful praying session on August 31, 2008. Their propaganda machine also mobilized the government-sanctioned media to smear, slant, and distort the purpose of the Catholic peaceful gatherings.
- August 31, 2008: public security agents prevented and disrupted a prayer session of the Protestants at Thai Binh.
- The VC Authorities casually arrested, accused and arbitrarily attributed false offense to many Catholics involving in the conflict at the Parish of Thai Ha, Hanoi.
Suppression Of Demonstration:
On September 14, 2008 the VC Authorities arrested many people in order to prevent and restrict the movement of the Democracy Advocates; blockaded the universities to prevent students from taking part in the demonstrations against China's invasion of the Paracel and Spratly Archipelagos and her blatant hegemonism in South East Asia.
Suppression Of Victims Of Injustice:
On August 29, 2008, using Article 245 of the Criminal Code, the VC Authorities initiated the introduction of instance and arrested a 40-year-old resident of Vinh An, Vinh Cuu, Dong Nai Province, Mrs. Le Thi Kim Thu, who was one of the victims of injustice suing for the return of their lands that have been illegally appropriated by the Government.
Suppression Of Freedom Of The Press:
On September 19, 2008 public security and secrets service agents assaulted and injured a permanent correspondent of the Associated Press in Hanoi, Mr. Ben Stockings who was reporting the event at Thai Ha. The acts of confiscating the camera, choking, hitting the reporter on the head with camera and punching the face of a correspondent whose only job was to report the news are those of a hooligan government that is unacceptable to the Civilized World.
The Committee strongly condemns the recently renewed campaign of repression by the Vietnamese Communist Government.
We earnestly call upon the organizations for human rights and the Freedom and Democracy loving Governments of the World to urgently voice your concerns and pressure the Vietnamese Communist Government for the immediate and unconditional release of those who have been arrested and incarcerated because of their religious and political beliefs, and the return of basic Human and Civil Rights to the Vietnamese People.
Hà nội, the 20th of September, 2008
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