Defenders’ Weekly | Jan 17, 2016
***********11/1/2016*************
Vietnam Police Officers Promoted to Lieutenant Generals amid Rising Social Dissatisfaction
Defend the Defenders: Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang has promoted seven police officers to lieutenant generals in a bid to enhance capacity of the country’s security forces amid rising social dissatisfaction, state media has reported.
In a ceremony held in Hanoi on Jan 9, Minister of Public Security General Tran Dai Quang on behalf of the president handed over the promotion decisions to the seven officers.
The names of the promoted officers were not publicized, with exception of Nguyen Van Ngoc, director of the Hanoi-based National Security Academy.
The number of police generals is high in the communist nation, however, state media has not reported the exact number.
Last week, the Ministry of Public Security, in collaboration of the unit of the Vietnam People’s Army under management of the Hanoi High Command held a large-scale exercise with participation of helicopters and tanks and 5,200 heavily-armed commandos to cope with coup, terrorists and mass demonstrations in a bid to ensure security during the upcoming 12th National Congress of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam.
Currently, thousands of land petitioners are gathering in Hanoi to demand for returning of or reasonable compensation for their land illegally seized by authorities. They hold daily demonstration in front of government building despite harassment of security forces.
Many Vietnamese have also demanded for political reforms amid poor socio-economic management, systemic corruption and weak response to China’s violations of country’s sovereignty in the East Sea as well as systemic violations of human rights.
Vowing to keep the country’s under a one-party regime, the ruling communist party has assigned tasks for the security forces not to allow the establishment of opposition parties.
————————————
Vietnam Deploys Helicopters, Tanks to Protect Communist Party Conference
Defend the Defenders: Vietnam is deploying helicopters and tanks as well as 5,200 heavily-armed commandos to ensure social orders in the capital city of Hanoi during the upcoming 12th National Congress of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam, state media has reported.
The Ministry of Public Security and the units of the Vietnam People’s Army belonging to the Hanoi High Command will be responsible for ensuring absolute security for the event, which is slated on Jan 20-28 during which the communist party will select its leadership for the 2016-2021 period.
Last week, Minister of Public Security General Tran Dai Quang declared the mobilization of the armed forces to protect the congress which takes place every five years.
The forces also held live drills in My Dinh stadium, not far from the National Congress building where the party’s National Congress will be held. During the drill, security forces conducted exercises to deal with coup and terrorist acts as well as to cope with massive demonstrations of people armed with wooden bars.
This is the first time Vietnam is mobilizing heavily-armed units to protect the party’s conference in the country’s 76-year history, signaling stronger measures to deal with rising social dissatisfaction.
Meanwhile, Vietnam continues to verbally protest China’s violations of its waters and air space. State media has reported that along with sending military spying ships in Vietnam’s waters and coastline, China has also sent a number of airplanes in Vietnam’s air.
China has also sent military and civil airplanes to Chu Thap Island (Fiery Cross) in Vietnam-claimed Truong Sa (Spratlys) in the East Sea (South China Sea) despite strong protest from Vietnam. Recently, Beijing announced that it completed the second airstrip in the archipelago where it has built a number of artificial islands.
Vietnam and China have overlapping claims of sovereignty on Truong Sa and Hoang Sa (Paracels) while Taiwan, the Philippines and Malaysia also partly claim the second archipelago.
China militarily invaded Hoang Sa and partly Truong Sa from Vietnam in the 1956-1988 period.
******************12/1/2016********************
Activist Fined VND25M for Disseminating Information on Labor Rights
Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have decided to impose a VND25 million ($1,100) fine on Mr. Hoang Duc Binh, a member of the independent Viet Labor, for disseminating leaflets on labor rights.
On December 25 last year, Mr. Binh was arrested with 4,500 leaflets which cited a statement of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for the right of worker to form independent labor unions.
Binh was severely beaten by policemen and released on the next day. A number of his friends, including prominent Do Thi Minh Hanh, were also assaulted by policemen when they came to demand for his release.
Vietnam and 11 other countries, including the U.S., completed negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Under the pact, Vietnam must allow the establishment of independent unions.
Dân làm báo: Bị phạt 25 triệu đồng vì trích dẫn lời thủ tướng
*********************13/1/2016*******************
Vietnam Postpones Trial against Prominent Blogger AnhBaSam
Defend the Defenders: Vietnam’s communist government has postponed the trial scheduled on January 19 against prominent blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh (aka Anh Ba Sam) and his assistant Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy who are accused of “abusing freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state” under Article 258 of the country’s Penal Code.
In its notice dated January 13 sent to the defendants’ families and their lawyers, the People’s Court of Hanoi said the people’ juries will not be able to attend the trial which was set one day ahead of the 12th National Congress of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam.
The court did not set new schedule for the trial.
Mr. Vinh and Ms. Thuy were arrested in May 2014 for posting articles on the news website AnhBaSam which was co-founded by Mr. Vinh and his colleagues several years earlier. The website, with numerous articles of independent bloggers, has attracted millions of readers in the communist nation where the government keeps tied censorship on state media.
Mr. Vinh, a 58-year-old son of a senior communist official, was accused of posting online articles carrying out “incorrect contents that aim to defame the party and state.”
If proven guilty, they could face imprisonment of up to seven years, according to the Vietnamese law.
After the arrests of Vinh and Thuy, the governments and politicians of the U.S., EU countries, and Canada as well as international human rights groups have called on the Vietnamese government to release the duo, saying they did nothing wrong but exercised their right of freedom of opinions and expression which is enshrined in the Vietnamese Constitution.
The Vietnamese communist government has used controversial articles such as Article 79, 88 and 258 to silence local critics, social activists and human rights defenders.
The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that independent news providers in Vietnam are subject to enhanced Internet surveillance, draconian directives, waves of arrests and sham trials in its annual Press Freedom Index released in December 2014.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s security forces have intensified crackdown against government critics, social activists and human rights defenders in recent months ahead of the ruling party’s National Congress slated for January 20-28.
In recent months, Vietnam has arrested a number of dissidents, including human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai and his assistant Le Thu Ha, former political prisoners Tran Anh Kim and Le Thanh Tung and charged them of conducting anti-state propaganda under Article 88 of the Penal Code. The arrested activists could face imprisonment up to 20 years.
In addition, many activists have been brutally attacked by thugs and sometime by police officers. The victims include former political prisoners Tran Minh Nhat and Tran Ngoc Thach, labor activists Do Thi Minh Hanh and Truong Minh Duc, land rights activists Tran Thuy Nga and Nguyen Huy Tuan and prisoner of conscience Truong Minh Tam. In most recent cases on January 7-8, Mr. Tuan and Mr. Tam were kidnapped and robbed.
Many international rights groups have called on Vietnam to take measures to stop persecution against local dissident and conduct thorough investigation to bring perpetrators to court.
———————-
I Hope They Will Abide by the Law’ in Vietnam Blogger Case: Lawyer Ha Huy Son
Radio of Free Asia: Prominent Vietnamese blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh, also known as Anh Ba Sam, and his assistant, Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, were arrested last May in Hanoi for posting essays “that had the potential to tarnish the state apparatus’ prestige,” according to state media. Gia Minh of RFA’s spoke to their lawyer, Ha Huy Son, about the case of the two bloggers, whose trial has been postponed. They are just two of the 150-200 activists and bloggers that New York-based Human Rights Watch estimates are serving prison time in Vietnam.
RFA: What is happening with the case?
Ha Huy Son: I went to the Hanoi People’s Court this morning, January 13, to submit my petition asking for a replacement of the judge, Nguyen Van Phu, who was assigned to the trial of Nguyen Huu Vinh, because I think he violated the litigation period as I wrote in my previous complaint. I think he will be biased, and according to the litigation law, they need to replace him. So I went there to submit my petition and the court’s secretary gave me the notice of postponement. The reason was the jury will not be able to attend the trial.
RFA: Did you inform Le Thi Minh Ha, Nguyen Huu Vinh’s wife? What was her reaction?
Ha Huy Son: I told her right after that. Ha was upset but she was not surprised because she knows how they (the court) have been handling cases like this.
RFA: What do you think?
Ha Huy Son: I think the postponement for the reason that there is no jury is just an excuse they used to cover up another real reason because as far as I know the role of jury in Vietnam court is not very important.
RFA: What will you do next for this case?
Ha Huy Son: The most important thing in this case is a litigation procedure that is not in accordance with the la, so I hope they will abide by the law.
RFA: How were Nguyen Huu Vinh and Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy the last time you saw them?
Ha Huy Son: I met Vinh about 10 days ago. His spirit was good but his health is not good. Thuy is the same. They sent their thanks to people, to friends who care about them, and they said that their spirits are good and people should believe in them.
==================== January 15=============
Prominent Vietnam Activist Released From Jail But Has Nowhere to Live
Radio of Free Asia: Vietnam released a prominent female human rights activist today after she served a five-year prison sentence for violating the country’s law aimed at stopping dissent.
Ho Thi Bich Khuong was released from Thanh Xuan prison in Hanoi after serving a prison sentence for “conducting propaganda against the government,” but it is unclear where she will go since the Vietnamese government has confiscated her house and land.
“Police and thugs came to the village’s cultural house, and told me that this house is not for me to stay,” she said in an interview with RFA’s Vietnamese Service from the Nam Anh village. “They assaulted me and threw my stuff out.”
While her sister Ho Thi Lan offered to let her stay for the night, she told RFA that it was up to the government to find the activist a place to stay.
“This morning they summoned me to the village’s office to receive Khuong,” Ho Thi Lan said. “ I told them, as a sister I am willing to help Khuong, but I can’t do the hand-over procedure because the village took all her land and her house. Now they have to help her to settle down. I don’t know what might happen to her if she stays in my house.”
Multiple human rights awards
Ho Thi Bich Khuong is one of a rapidly expanding group of activists who use the Internet to defend their rights. She publishes detailed accounts of the repression and harassment she, her family and others have faced. She is author of “My Journey of Struggle for Justice and Democracy,” a book about her experiences.
In 2011 Ho Thi Bich Khuong received a Hellman/Hammett award from Human Rights Watch. In 2015 The Vietnam Human Rights Network gave her its human rights award
Born in 1967, Ho Thi Bich Khuong has been arrested and imprisoned several times for her human rights activities. A widow and mother of a teenage son, she was held incommunicado for almost a year after she and pastor Nguyen Trung Ton were arrested in Jan. 2011 while copying the film “Loss of the Country – A Great Disaster.”
According to a U.N. report on torture she was repeatedly beaten in prison and denied medical care.
In April 2007, police arrested her in an Internet café in Nghe An province for reading information on foreign-based websites. In 2008, the People’s Court of Nghe An sentenced her to two years in prison for “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state.”
In May 2005, the authorities arrested her in Hanoi, where she went to file a grievance with the central government over the confiscation of her property by local authorities. The People’s Court of Ba Dinh district in Hanoi sentenced her to six months in prison for “disrupting public order” under article 245 of the penal code.
———————–
Vietnamese Dies after One-week Detention for Brick Stealing Investigation, First Victim of Police Torture This Year
Defend the Defenders: A Vietnamese man in the central province of Nghe An has died in a local police detention facility one week after being arrested for investigation in his role in a brick stealing case, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported Friday.
The family of Mr. Dang Van Hanh from Quy Hop commune in Quy Hop district was informed by local authorities in early of Jan 15 to go to the district’s general hospital to take his body for burial.
Mr. Hanh, 46, was arrested one week ago by Quy Hop police who suspected him to conduct a small number of brick. He was healthy when the police came to detain him, the family claimed.
After the arrest, his family had no information about his situation, said his brother Dang Van Vinh.
Ms. Dang Thi Hoa, the younger sister of the victim said the family was not informed about Mr. Hanh’s transfer from the police detention facility to the hospital. The family was just noticed for his death, she said.
Speaking with a reporter of Tuoi Tre newspaper, Colonel Tran Sy Phang, head of the Nghi Kim detention facility which held Mr. Hanh, said Hanh was arrested and probed for property stealing on January 2.
At 8.30PM of January 14, Hanh was transferred from Quy Hop district police to the Nghi Kim detention facility, Phang said.
Upon his arrival, the facility medical staff found that his health was not good, and he had difficulties in breathing, Colonel Phang continued. He was transferred to the district General Hospital for urgent treatment but died on 0.15AM of the next day, Phang said.
The cause of his death is unclear and may be revealed after autopsy, he added.
The victim is a truck driver while his wife is trader. Their two sons are studying university in Hanoi.
Hanh is the first detainee died in police station this year.
In Vietnam where torture and other ill-treatment is systemic, many people died in police stations and detention facilities.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, 226 detainees and prisoners died in the period between October 2011 and September 2014.
Around twenty people died in police stations last year and dozens suffered severe injuries.
Police said illness and suicides were main causes of their deaths, however, their families believe that police torture is the key reason.
Few of Vietnamese policemen have been slightly disciplined for torturing suspects.
Vietnam adopted the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in 2014.
======= January 16=======
Vietnamese Political Dissident Reportedly Forced to Make False Statements During Detention
Defend the Defenders: Investigating police officers in Vietnam’s central province of Thanh Hoa have tried to force local dissident Dinh Tat Thang, who is in detention from August last year, to confess that his denunciations against state officials are wrong, his son told local media.
Mr. Dinh Van Tuan said he was just allowed to meet his father for the first time since his father’s arrest on August 13. His father told him that during interrogations, police officers tried to force him to make statements as they wanted.
Investigating officers also asked Mr. Thang to sign the interrogation minutes without allowing to read carefully, the father told the son. Mr. Thang, who is over 70 and has problem with eyes, demanded eyeglass for reading the minutes but police officers denied.
Police also refused Mr. Thang’s request to meet with lawyers, saying he has to confess wrongdoings first. However, he denied to make false statement as they wanted, Mr. Thang told his son.
Currently, Thanh Hoa police completed investigation and transferred the case to the local court which will open trial against Mr. Thang later, Mr. Tuan said.
Tuan has called public and international community to pay attention to his father’s case, adding his father is innocent.
Mr. Thang, 73, was charged of “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens” under Article 258 of the country’s Penal Code. If proved guilty, he could face imprisonment of between two and seven years.
Local police said that Mr. Thang, who was imprisoned to nine months on the same charge in 2008, had repeatedly filled denunciations against provincial and district officials after being released, accusing them of committing wrongdoings in implementing socio-economic tasks.
Local authorities said based on the initial investigation of Thanh Hoa police, his denunciations and petitions are fabricated, defaming many local officials, including senior police officers in Tho Xuan district.
In the one-party Vietnam, the ruling communists have not tolerated any criticism and their government has used controversial articles such as Article 79, 88, and 258 to silence local dissidents.
According to the New York-based Human Rights Watch said Vietnam holds at least 130 political prisoners. Vietnam has always denied to holding any prisoner of conscience but only law violators.
Tù nhân lương tâm Đinh Tất Thắng tố cáo bị ép cung trong quá trình điều tra
—————————
500 Catholic Followers Hold Demonstration to Demand Justice for Beaten Priest
In the morning of January 16, more than 500 Catholic followers in Thuan Giang parish in Vinh diocese gathered at a front of Quynh Luu district police’s headquarters in Nghe An province to demand the local authorities to investigate the assault against their Priest Anton Dang Huu Nam in late December last year.
Nearly one month before, in late evening of December 31, Father Nam was beaten by thugs under witness of the local police chief. Followers caught one of the attackers and handed over to the local police, however, no investigation was conducted.
During the peaceful demonstration, the protestors asked the Quynh Luu district authorities to seriously investigate the case and bring the perpetrators to court.
In response, authorities in Quynh Luu deployed a large number of policemen and militia as well as thugs to threaten demonstrators. However, the followers stayed determined and dispersed only after authorities pledged to conduct throughout investigation.
Recently, a number of political dissidents, social activists and human rights defenders have been brutally attacked by thugs and in some cases, by policemen. Many of them have also been robbed.
Father Nam is among outspoken activists for human rights.
SBTN: Hơn 500 bà con giáo dân Tân Yên biểu tình trước công an huyện Quỳnh Lưu
Nghệ An: Hơn 300 giáo dân biểu tình vụ Linh mục bị tấn công
Hàng trăm giáo dân ở Vinh biểu tình đòi công lý
=============== January 17===================
Political Prisoner Ho Thi Bich Khuong Released but Remains Homeless
Political prisoner Ho Thi Bich Khuong was released on the afternoon of January 15 after 50 months of imprisonment. She was sentenced to five years in jail and three years under house arrest on charge of “anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s Penal Code.
When returned home, Ms. Khuong remained homeless as local authorities in Nam Anh commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province illegally took her house earlier.
She was brought from the Hanoi-based Thanh Xuan Prison to a cultural house of Nam Anh commune where she was held in a close room until mid night.
Ms. Khuong’s health is not good but she remains determined.
SBTN: Tù nhân lương tâm Hồ Thị Bích Khương được tự do, dọa ra lăng HCM ngủ
———————————
Vietnamese Secondary School Student Commits Suicide after Being Interrogated by Police
Defend the Defenders: Nguyen Thanh Tam, a student of 9-grade class in Vietnam’s central province of Quang Ngai, has committed suicide after being interrogated by local police without presence of his relatives nor teacher, the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper reported Saturday (http://tuoitre.vn/tin/ban-doc/20160116/hs-lop-9-len-xa-lam-viec-ve-nha-viet-thu-roi-tu-tu/1039513.html).
Tam, 17, took a herbicide in a bid to end his life on January 13 after leaving a letter to his parents to ask for forgiveness. He said in his letter that he cannot live with the groundless accusation of the local police of stealing money from a local official.
Police requested Tam to commit money stealing or they will beat him, the boy said in his letter.
He was brought to a local hospital and later transferred to a hospital in Danang city for special treatment. However, he was returned to his family on January 15 as doctors admitted that they cannot rescue him.
His family told reporters of Tuoi Tre that Tam was taken to the communal police station by Huynh Van Chung, deputy chief of the police in Tinh Bac commune, Son Tinh district in the morning of January 11 when he was in school.
Informed about the detention, his mother Mrs. Truong Thi Thai came to the police station but was refused to meet with the boy.
Communal policemen also came to search her private house, saying the boy had stolen VND6 million ($270) from Huynh Van Mac, president of the commune’s Fatherland Front. However, they found nothing.
The boy was released at 7 PM of the same day after the family made guarantee.
Speaking to Tuoi Tre’s reporters, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Oanh, vice principal of the Tinh Bac Secondary School where Tam studies, said a policeman came to the school to ask for a meeting with the boy. She was not informed about his detention.
Nguyen Tan Linh, chairman of the communal executive body People’s Committee said Tam stole money and many phone cards from Mr. Mac two times. He admitted that communal policemen detained him to the police station for interrogation, with presence of his uncle.
Linh confirmed that policemen had not beaten the boy. The district police are investigating the case which involve other students, he added.
Colonel Nguyen Manh Cuong, head of the police in Son Tinh district said Tam committed stealing many times, and police from the commune and the district summoned him with official notices.
According to the working minutes, the police interrogation was made with presence of the boy’s relatives, Colonel Cuong said, adding Tam confessed to steal 22 bikes and one motorbike.
In the one-party Vietnam where torture is systemic, hundreds of detainees have been beaten to death or with severe injuries during interrogation, according to local and foreign media.
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January 18, 2016
Vietnam Human Rights Defenders’ Weekly January 11-17, 2015: Political Prisoner Ho Thi Bich Khuong Released after Over Four Years in Jail
by Nhan Quyen • [Human Rights], DEFENDER’S WEEKLY
Defenders’ Weekly | Jan 17, 2016
Political prisoner Ho Thi Bich Khuong was released on the afternoon of January 15 after 50 months of imprisonment. She was sentenced to five years in jail and three years under house arrest on charge of “anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s Penal Code.
When returned home, Ms. Khuong remained homeless as local authorities in Nam Anh commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province illegally took her house earlier.
Mr. Dang Van Hanh from Quy Hop district in Nghe An was arrested on January 3 on allegation of property stealing. Ten days later, he died in local police detention. The investigation on his death is being investigated.
On January 16, more than 500 Catholic followers in Thuan Giang parish, Vinh diocese gathered in front of the Quynh Luu district police in Nghe An province to demand the local authorities to investigate the attack against Father Anton Dang Huu Nam.
And many other important news
***********11/1/2016*************
Vietnam Police Officers Promoted to Lieutenant Generals amid Rising Social Dissatisfaction
Defend the Defenders: Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang has promoted seven police officers to lieutenant generals in a bid to enhance capacity of the country’s security forces amid rising social dissatisfaction, state media has reported.
In a ceremony held in Hanoi on Jan 9, Minister of Public Security General Tran Dai Quang on behalf of the president handed over the promotion decisions to the seven officers.
The names of the promoted officers were not publicized, with exception of Nguyen Van Ngoc, director of the Hanoi-based National Security Academy.
The number of police generals is high in the communist nation, however, state media has not reported the exact number.
Last week, the Ministry of Public Security, in collaboration of the unit of the Vietnam People’s Army under management of the Hanoi High Command held a large-scale exercise with participation of helicopters and tanks and 5,200 heavily-armed commandos to cope with coup, terrorists and mass demonstrations in a bid to ensure security during the upcoming 12th National Congress of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam.
Currently, thousands of land petitioners are gathering in Hanoi to demand for returning of or reasonable compensation for their land illegally seized by authorities. They hold daily demonstration in front of government building despite harassment of security forces.
Many Vietnamese have also demanded for political reforms amid poor socio-economic management, systemic corruption and weak response to China’s violations of country’s sovereignty in the East Sea as well as systemic violations of human rights.
Vowing to keep the country’s under a one-party regime, the ruling communist party has assigned tasks for the security forces not to allow the establishment of opposition parties.
————————————
Vietnam Deploys Helicopters, Tanks to Protect Communist Party Conference
Defend the Defenders: Vietnam is deploying helicopters and tanks as well as 5,200 heavily-armed commandos to ensure social orders in the capital city of Hanoi during the upcoming 12th National Congress of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam, state media has reported.
The Ministry of Public Security and the units of the Vietnam People’s Army belonging to the Hanoi High Command will be responsible for ensuring absolute security for the event, which is slated on Jan 20-28 during which the communist party will select its leadership for the 2016-2021 period.
Last week, Minister of Public Security General Tran Dai Quang declared the mobilization of the armed forces to protect the congress which takes place every five years.
The forces also held live drills in My Dinh stadium, not far from the National Congress building where the party’s National Congress will be held. During the drill, security forces conducted exercises to deal with coup and terrorist acts as well as to cope with massive demonstrations of people armed with wooden bars.
This is the first time Vietnam is mobilizing heavily-armed units to protect the party’s conference in the country’s 76-year history, signaling stronger measures to deal with rising social dissatisfaction.
Meanwhile, Vietnam continues to verbally protest China’s violations of its waters and air space. State media has reported that along with sending military spying ships in Vietnam’s waters and coastline, China has also sent a number of airplanes in Vietnam’s air.
China has also sent military and civil airplanes to Chu Thap Island (Fiery Cross) in Vietnam-claimed Truong Sa (Spratlys) in the East Sea (South China Sea) despite strong protest from Vietnam. Recently, Beijing announced that it completed the second airstrip in the archipelago where it has built a number of artificial islands.
Vietnam and China have overlapping claims of sovereignty on Truong Sa and Hoang Sa (Paracels) while Taiwan, the Philippines and Malaysia also partly claim the second archipelago.
China militarily invaded Hoang Sa and partly Truong Sa from Vietnam in the 1956-1988 period.
******************12/1/2016********************
Activist Fined VND25M for Disseminating Information on Labor Rights
Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have decided to impose a VND25 million ($1,100) fine on Mr. Hoang Duc Binh, a member of the independent Viet Labor, for disseminating leaflets on labor rights.
On December 25 last year, Mr. Binh was arrested with 4,500 leaflets which cited a statement of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for the right of worker to form independent labor unions.
Binh was severely beaten by policemen and released on the next day. A number of his friends, including prominent Do Thi Minh Hanh, were also assaulted by policemen when they came to demand for his release.
Vietnam and 11 other countries, including the U.S., completed negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Under the pact, Vietnam must allow the establishment of independent unions.
Dân làm báo: Bị phạt 25 triệu đồng vì trích dẫn lời thủ tướng
*********************13/1/2016*******************
Vietnam Postpones Trial against Prominent Blogger AnhBaSam
Defend the Defenders: Vietnam’s communist government has postponed the trial scheduled on January 19 against prominent blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh (aka Anh Ba Sam) and his assistant Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy who are accused of “abusing freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state” under Article 258 of the country’s Penal Code.
In its notice dated January 13 sent to the defendants’ families and their lawyers, the People’s Court of Hanoi said the people’ juries will not be able to attend the trial which was set one day ahead of the 12th National Congress of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam.
The court did not set new schedule for the trial.
Mr. Vinh and Ms. Thuy were arrested in May 2014 for posting articles on the news website AnhBaSam which was co-founded by Mr. Vinh and his colleagues several years earlier. The website, with numerous articles of independent bloggers, has attracted millions of readers in the communist nation where the government keeps tied censorship on state media.
Mr. Vinh, a 58-year-old son of a senior communist official, was accused of posting online articles carrying out “incorrect contents that aim to defame the party and state.”
If proven guilty, they could face imprisonment of up to seven years, according to the Vietnamese law.
After the arrests of Vinh and Thuy, the governments and politicians of the U.S., EU countries, and Canada as well as international human rights groups have called on the Vietnamese government to release the duo, saying they did nothing wrong but exercised their right of freedom of opinions and expression which is enshrined in the Vietnamese Constitution.
The Vietnamese communist government has used controversial articles such as Article 79, 88 and 258 to silence local critics, social activists and human rights defenders.
The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that independent news providers in Vietnam are subject to enhanced Internet surveillance, draconian directives, waves of arrests and sham trials in its annual Press Freedom Index released in December 2014.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s security forces have intensified crackdown against government critics, social activists and human rights defenders in recent months ahead of the ruling party’s National Congress slated for January 20-28.
In recent months, Vietnam has arrested a number of dissidents, including human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai and his assistant Le Thu Ha, former political prisoners Tran Anh Kim and Le Thanh Tung and charged them of conducting anti-state propaganda under Article 88 of the Penal Code. The arrested activists could face imprisonment up to 20 years.
In addition, many activists have been brutally attacked by thugs and sometime by police officers. The victims include former political prisoners Tran Minh Nhat and Tran Ngoc Thach, labor activists Do Thi Minh Hanh and Truong Minh Duc, land rights activists Tran Thuy Nga and Nguyen Huy Tuan and prisoner of conscience Truong Minh Tam. In most recent cases on January 7-8, Mr. Tuan and Mr. Tam were kidnapped and robbed.
Many international rights groups have called on Vietnam to take measures to stop persecution against local dissident and conduct thorough investigation to bring perpetrators to court.
———————-
I Hope They Will Abide by the Law’ in Vietnam Blogger Case: Lawyer Ha Huy Son
Radio of Free Asia: Prominent Vietnamese blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh, also known as Anh Ba Sam, and his assistant, Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, were arrested last May in Hanoi for posting essays “that had the potential to tarnish the state apparatus’ prestige,” according to state media. Gia Minh of RFA’s spoke to their lawyer, Ha Huy Son, about the case of the two bloggers, whose trial has been postponed. They are just two of the 150-200 activists and bloggers that New York-based Human Rights Watch estimates are serving prison time in Vietnam.
RFA: What is happening with the case?
Ha Huy Son: I went to the Hanoi People’s Court this morning, January 13, to submit my petition asking for a replacement of the judge, Nguyen Van Phu, who was assigned to the trial of Nguyen Huu Vinh, because I think he violated the litigation period as I wrote in my previous complaint. I think he will be biased, and according to the litigation law, they need to replace him. So I went there to submit my petition and the court’s secretary gave me the notice of postponement. The reason was the jury will not be able to attend the trial.
RFA: Did you inform Le Thi Minh Ha, Nguyen Huu Vinh’s wife? What was her reaction?
Ha Huy Son: I told her right after that. Ha was upset but she was not surprised because she knows how they (the court) have been handling cases like this.
RFA: What do you think?
Ha Huy Son: I think the postponement for the reason that there is no jury is just an excuse they used to cover up another real reason because as far as I know the role of jury in Vietnam court is not very important.
RFA: What will you do next for this case?
Ha Huy Son: The most important thing in this case is a litigation procedure that is not in accordance with the la, so I hope they will abide by the law.
RFA: How were Nguyen Huu Vinh and Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy the last time you saw them?
Ha Huy Son: I met Vinh about 10 days ago. His spirit was good but his health is not good. Thuy is the same. They sent their thanks to people, to friends who care about them, and they said that their spirits are good and people should believe in them.
==================== January 15=============
Prominent Vietnam Activist Released From Jail But Has Nowhere to Live
Radio of Free Asia: Vietnam released a prominent female human rights activist today after she served a five-year prison sentence for violating the country’s law aimed at stopping dissent.
Ho Thi Bich Khuong was released from Thanh Xuan prison in Hanoi after serving a prison sentence for “conducting propaganda against the government,” but it is unclear where she will go since the Vietnamese government has confiscated her house and land.
“Police and thugs came to the village’s cultural house, and told me that this house is not for me to stay,” she said in an interview with RFA’s Vietnamese Service from the Nam Anh village. “They assaulted me and threw my stuff out.”
While her sister Ho Thi Lan offered to let her stay for the night, she told RFA that it was up to the government to find the activist a place to stay.
“This morning they summoned me to the village’s office to receive Khuong,” Ho Thi Lan said. “ I told them, as a sister I am willing to help Khuong, but I can’t do the hand-over procedure because the village took all her land and her house. Now they have to help her to settle down. I don’t know what might happen to her if she stays in my house.”
Multiple human rights awards
Ho Thi Bich Khuong is one of a rapidly expanding group of activists who use the Internet to defend their rights. She publishes detailed accounts of the repression and harassment she, her family and others have faced. She is author of “My Journey of Struggle for Justice and Democracy,” a book about her experiences.
In 2011 Ho Thi Bich Khuong received a Hellman/Hammett award from Human Rights Watch. In 2015 The Vietnam Human Rights Network gave her its human rights award
Born in 1967, Ho Thi Bich Khuong has been arrested and imprisoned several times for her human rights activities. A widow and mother of a teenage son, she was held incommunicado for almost a year after she and pastor Nguyen Trung Ton were arrested in Jan. 2011 while copying the film “Loss of the Country – A Great Disaster.”
According to a U.N. report on torture she was repeatedly beaten in prison and denied medical care.
In April 2007, police arrested her in an Internet café in Nghe An province for reading information on foreign-based websites. In 2008, the People’s Court of Nghe An sentenced her to two years in prison for “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state.”
In May 2005, the authorities arrested her in Hanoi, where she went to file a grievance with the central government over the confiscation of her property by local authorities. The People’s Court of Ba Dinh district in Hanoi sentenced her to six months in prison for “disrupting public order” under article 245 of the penal code.
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Vietnamese Dies after One-week Detention for Brick Stealing Investigation, First Victim of Police Torture This Year
Defend the Defenders: A Vietnamese man in the central province of Nghe An has died in a local police detention facility one week after being arrested for investigation in his role in a brick stealing case, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported Friday.
The family of Mr. Dang Van Hanh from Quy Hop commune in Quy Hop district was informed by local authorities in early of Jan 15 to go to the district’s general hospital to take his body for burial.
Mr. Hanh, 46, was arrested one week ago by Quy Hop police who suspected him to conduct a small number of brick. He was healthy when the police came to detain him, the family claimed.
After the arrest, his family had no information about his situation, said his brother Dang Van Vinh.
Ms. Dang Thi Hoa, the younger sister of the victim said the family was not informed about Mr. Hanh’s transfer from the police detention facility to the hospital. The family was just noticed for his death, she said.
Speaking with a reporter of Tuoi Tre newspaper, Colonel Tran Sy Phang, head of the Nghi Kim detention facility which held Mr. Hanh, said Hanh was arrested and probed for property stealing on January 2.
At 8.30PM of January 14, Hanh was transferred from Quy Hop district police to the Nghi Kim detention facility, Phang said.
Upon his arrival, the facility medical staff found that his health was not good, and he had difficulties in breathing, Colonel Phang continued. He was transferred to the district General Hospital for urgent treatment but died on 0.15AM of the next day, Phang said.
The cause of his death is unclear and may be revealed after autopsy, he added.
The victim is a truck driver while his wife is trader. Their two sons are studying university in Hanoi.
Hanh is the first detainee died in police station this year.
In Vietnam where torture and other ill-treatment is systemic, many people died in police stations and detention facilities.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, 226 detainees and prisoners died in the period between October 2011 and September 2014.
Around twenty people died in police stations last year and dozens suffered severe injuries.
Police said illness and suicides were main causes of their deaths, however, their families believe that police torture is the key reason.
Few of Vietnamese policemen have been slightly disciplined for torturing suspects.
Vietnam adopted the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in 2014.
======= January 16=======
Vietnamese Political Dissident Reportedly Forced to Make False Statements During Detention
Defend the Defenders: Investigating police officers in Vietnam’s central province of Thanh Hoa have tried to force local dissident Dinh Tat Thang, who is in detention from August last year, to confess that his denunciations against state officials are wrong, his son told local media.
Mr. Dinh Van Tuan said he was just allowed to meet his father for the first time since his father’s arrest on August 13. His father told him that during interrogations, police officers tried to force him to make statements as they wanted.
Investigating officers also asked Mr. Thang to sign the interrogation minutes without allowing to read carefully, the father told the son. Mr. Thang, who is over 70 and has problem with eyes, demanded eyeglass for reading the minutes but police officers denied.
Police also refused Mr. Thang’s request to meet with lawyers, saying he has to confess wrongdoings first. However, he denied to make false statement as they wanted, Mr. Thang told his son.
Currently, Thanh Hoa police completed investigation and transferred the case to the local court which will open trial against Mr. Thang later, Mr. Tuan said.
Tuan has called public and international community to pay attention to his father’s case, adding his father is innocent.
Mr. Thang, 73, was charged of “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens” under Article 258 of the country’s Penal Code. If proved guilty, he could face imprisonment of between two and seven years.
Local police said that Mr. Thang, who was imprisoned to nine months on the same charge in 2008, had repeatedly filled denunciations against provincial and district officials after being released, accusing them of committing wrongdoings in implementing socio-economic tasks.
Local authorities said based on the initial investigation of Thanh Hoa police, his denunciations and petitions are fabricated, defaming many local officials, including senior police officers in Tho Xuan district.
In the one-party Vietnam, the ruling communists have not tolerated any criticism and their government has used controversial articles such as Article 79, 88, and 258 to silence local dissidents.
According to the New York-based Human Rights Watch said Vietnam holds at least 130 political prisoners. Vietnam has always denied to holding any prisoner of conscience but only law violators.
Tù nhân lương tâm Đinh Tất Thắng tố cáo bị ép cung trong quá trình điều tra
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500 Catholic Followers Hold Demonstration to Demand Justice for Beaten Priest
In the morning of January 16, more than 500 Catholic followers in Thuan Giang parish in Vinh diocese gathered at a front of Quynh Luu district police’s headquarters in Nghe An province to demand the local authorities to investigate the assault against their Priest Anton Dang Huu Nam in late December last year.
Nearly one month before, in late evening of December 31, Father Nam was beaten by thugs under witness of the local police chief. Followers caught one of the attackers and handed over to the local police, however, no investigation was conducted.
During the peaceful demonstration, the protestors asked the Quynh Luu district authorities to seriously investigate the case and bring the perpetrators to court.
In response, authorities in Quynh Luu deployed a large number of policemen and militia as well as thugs to threaten demonstrators. However, the followers stayed determined and dispersed only after authorities pledged to conduct throughout investigation.
Recently, a number of political dissidents, social activists and human rights defenders have been brutally attacked by thugs and in some cases, by policemen. Many of them have also been robbed.
Father Nam is among outspoken activists for human rights.
SBTN: Hơn 500 bà con giáo dân Tân Yên biểu tình trước công an huyện Quỳnh Lưu
Nghệ An: Hơn 300 giáo dân biểu tình vụ Linh mục bị tấn công
Hàng trăm giáo dân ở Vinh biểu tình đòi công lý
=============== January 17===================
Political Prisoner Ho Thi Bich Khuong Released but Remains Homeless
Political prisoner Ho Thi Bich Khuong was released on the afternoon of January 15 after 50 months of imprisonment. She was sentenced to five years in jail and three years under house arrest on charge of “anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s Penal Code.
When returned home, Ms. Khuong remained homeless as local authorities in Nam Anh commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province illegally took her house earlier.
She was brought from the Hanoi-based Thanh Xuan Prison to a cultural house of Nam Anh commune where she was held in a close room until mid night.
Ms. Khuong’s health is not good but she remains determined.
SBTN: Tù nhân lương tâm Hồ Thị Bích Khương được tự do, dọa ra lăng HCM ngủ
———————————
Vietnamese Secondary School Student Commits Suicide after Being Interrogated by Police
Defend the Defenders: Nguyen Thanh Tam, a student of 9-grade class in Vietnam’s central province of Quang Ngai, has committed suicide after being interrogated by local police without presence of his relatives nor teacher, the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper reported Saturday (http://tuoitre.vn/tin/ban-doc/20160116/hs-lop-9-len-xa-lam-viec-ve-nha-viet-thu-roi-tu-tu/1039513.html).
Tam, 17, took a herbicide in a bid to end his life on January 13 after leaving a letter to his parents to ask for forgiveness. He said in his letter that he cannot live with the groundless accusation of the local police of stealing money from a local official.
Police requested Tam to commit money stealing or they will beat him, the boy said in his letter.
He was brought to a local hospital and later transferred to a hospital in Danang city for special treatment. However, he was returned to his family on January 15 as doctors admitted that they cannot rescue him.
His family told reporters of Tuoi Tre that Tam was taken to the communal police station by Huynh Van Chung, deputy chief of the police in Tinh Bac commune, Son Tinh district in the morning of January 11 when he was in school.
Informed about the detention, his mother Mrs. Truong Thi Thai came to the police station but was refused to meet with the boy.
Communal policemen also came to search her private house, saying the boy had stolen VND6 million ($270) from Huynh Van Mac, president of the commune’s Fatherland Front. However, they found nothing.
The boy was released at 7 PM of the same day after the family made guarantee.
Speaking to Tuoi Tre’s reporters, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Oanh, vice principal of the Tinh Bac Secondary School where Tam studies, said a policeman came to the school to ask for a meeting with the boy. She was not informed about his detention.
Nguyen Tan Linh, chairman of the communal executive body People’s Committee said Tam stole money and many phone cards from Mr. Mac two times. He admitted that communal policemen detained him to the police station for interrogation, with presence of his uncle.
Linh confirmed that policemen had not beaten the boy. The district police are investigating the case which involve other students, he added.
Colonel Nguyen Manh Cuong, head of the police in Son Tinh district said Tam committed stealing many times, and police from the commune and the district summoned him with official notices.
According to the working minutes, the police interrogation was made with presence of the boy’s relatives, Colonel Cuong said, adding Tam confessed to steal 22 bikes and one motorbike.
In the one-party Vietnam where torture is systemic, hundreds of detainees have been beaten to death or with severe injuries during interrogation, according to local and foreign media.