A CALL to ACTION to STOP VIOLENCE TORTURE in VIETNAM from Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience

FVPoC | Now 13, 2014
Translation by Trang Thien Long(DTD)
Tell The World.

To:

– The entire Vietnam compatriots at home and abroad,

– Democratic governments and International Human Rights Agencies.

At present, violence, torture and humiliation of Vietnam police forces against offenders, land petitioners, democracy activists and criminal prisoners as well as prisoners of conscience have reached a red alarming level.

A recent report by Human Rights Watch, data from August 2010 7 to July 2014, titled “Deaths in custody and police brutality in Vietnam” listed 14 deaths by torture, 4 by unknown reasons, 6 by suicide, 4 by disease and 22 prisoners were severely beaten. These victims did not include political prisoners, dissident sphere.

For human rights defenders, according to an incomplete statistics, the violent attacks conducted by enforcement agencies in 2013 are 18 incidents and directly harming 71 dissidents. Up to November 2014 there are at least 31 incidents with 115 victims. Particularly prisoners of conscience mistreated in 2013 and 2014 are 12 and 18 people respectively. (Please refer to the report “Identification of  the Vietnam authorities’ Advocacy Using Violence against Human Rights Defenders” by former prisoner of conscience Pham Ba Hai).

The date of 16 November is the International Day for Tolerance, we call for selfless generosity from all sectors of the society. It is time that we reflect and consider respect for the rights of others. Consequence of intolerance is an insecure society.

The date of 23 November is the International Day to End Impunity, we call on the authorities for justice bring into court all perpetrators that most of them answer to the Ministry of Public Security.

The date of 25 November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we call on all citizens to respect the rights of women, police forces not to use violence against women human rights defenders.

The date of 10 December is the International Human Rights Day. Vietnam state marks it as the first time as a member of the UN Human Rights Council. We call on civil society organizations to join the celebration to honor the values of human rights, and we call on the Vietnam government should respect and protect the citizens’ human rights activities.

Today, for a Vietnam state to live in peace, Former Vietnamese Prisoner of Conscience declare to launch the Campaign “Stop Violence Torture”.

We call on all individuals, groups and organizations in Vietnam and overseas, anyone can participate in a variety of forms:

Let’s present documents, denunciation, articles, seminars, disseminating human rights documents, mailing and visiting the victims of violence, sending a letter to questioning the perpetrators.

Let’s us materialize the condemnation signed by 25 civil society organizations on Nov 6, 2014 into the practical activities.

Let’s campaign the government of the country you are residing and informing to international human rights organizations, senior spiritual leaders to be aware of the violence and torture in Vietnam.

Let’s attend and question the Vietnam government at the UN Human Rights Council or any other international human rights forum.

Vietnam is now a police state but can not be a state of violence, torture and humiliation!

Vietnam, November 12, 2014.

Standing Executive Board of Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience:

Co-Chair: Dr.Nguyen Dan Que, Father Phan Van Loi

Chairman of Advisory Council: Ven.Thich Khong Tanh

Coordinator: Pham Ba Hai (MBE), Lawyer Nguyen Van Dai.

Spokesman: Pham Chi Dung (PhD)