Bloggers Vinh and Thuy in courtroom on March 23, 2016
They strongly protested the heavy sentences imposed over the two bloggers given by the People’s Court of Hanoi at a hearing on March 23 which is considered “failed to meet international standards for fair trial.”
by Vu Quoc Ngu, March 25, 2016
A number of foreign governments and international human rights bodies, including the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Stockholm-based Civil Rights Defenders (CRD), the London-based Amnesty International and the New York-based Human Rights Watch have condemned Vietnam’s government over imprisoning prominent blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh (aka Anh Ba Sam) and his assistant Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy.
They strongly protested the heavy sentences imposed over the two bloggers given by the People’s Court of Hanoi at a hearing on March 23 which is considered “failed to meet international standards for fair trial.”
The court found that the two posted 24 articles which “distort the lines and policies of the party and law of the state, and vilify individuals,” and sentenced Mr. Vinh to five years and Ms. Thuy to three years in jail on anti-government charge under Article 258 of Vietnam’s Penal Code.
In its press release dated March 24, RSF urges the Vietnamese authorities to quash the jail sentences passed on two citizen-journalists and reiterates its call for the repeal of Article 258, the article used to convict them, which penalizes “abusing democratic freedoms.”
“Citizen-journalists have yet again been jailed for wanting to provide their fellow citizens with independently reported news and information,” said Benjamin Ismaïl, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk.
“The scale of this hypocrisy can be appreciated when you realize that many government and judicial officials were Anh Ba Sam’s sources. We urge the international community to put pressure on the Vietnamese authorities so that Vinh and Thuy do not serve these iniquitous sentences.”
On the same day, CRD calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the prominent human rights defender, his assistant and other imprisoned bloggers and urges Vietnamese authorities to stop persecution of human rights defenders and bloggers.
The imprisonments of Mr. Vinh and Ms. Thuy “is a clear case of the Vietnamese authorities using vaguely worded legal provisions as a tool to silence human rights defenders. Nguyen Huu Vinh has engaged in peaceful writing, not committed any crimes,” said Brittis Edman, South East Asia Program Director at CRD.
One day prior to the trial, Amnesty International said “The trial and continuing detention of a blogger and his assistant who have already spent almost two years in jail is farcical and a blight on the country’s human rights record.”
“This is a textbook example of the authorities’ stamping out legitimate criticism and perpetuating a climate of fear in which people are forced to think twice before expressing themselves and asking questions of government,” said Champa Patel, Director of the South East Asia Regional Office.
“They have committed no crime but have languished in pre-trial detention for almost two years in blatant violation of both Vietnamese and international law. This farce must end and they must be immediately released,” Mr. Patel said.
Human Rights Watch said “the Vietnamese government should release and drop all charges against two prominent bloggers.
“Vietnam’s friends and donors should publicly challenge the ludicrous charges against Nguyen Huu Vinh and Nguyen Thi Minh,” said Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “They should demand that the government free all political prisoners and drop all pending charges against dissenting voices.”
According to Human Rights Watch, Vietnam, a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects peaceful expression, including expression critical of governments and leaders, is imprisoning many bloggers.
Some Western governments, including the U.S., have often criticized Vietnam for jailing dissidents for peacefully expressing their views. Hanoi denies the charges, saying only those who break the law are put behind bars.
Vietnam is ranked 175th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2015 World Press Freedom Index.
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March 25, 2016
Foreign Governments, Organizations Condemn Vietnam over Sentences of Bloggers
by Nhan Quyen • [Human Rights], Nguyen Huu Vinh (Anh Ba Sam), Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy
Bloggers Vinh and Thuy in courtroom on March 23, 2016
by Vu Quoc Ngu, March 25, 2016
A number of foreign governments and international human rights bodies, including the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Stockholm-based Civil Rights Defenders (CRD), the London-based Amnesty International and the New York-based Human Rights Watch have condemned Vietnam’s government over imprisoning prominent blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh (aka Anh Ba Sam) and his assistant Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy.
They strongly protested the heavy sentences imposed over the two bloggers given by the People’s Court of Hanoi at a hearing on March 23 which is considered “failed to meet international standards for fair trial.”
The court found that the two posted 24 articles which “distort the lines and policies of the party and law of the state, and vilify individuals,” and sentenced Mr. Vinh to five years and Ms. Thuy to three years in jail on anti-government charge under Article 258 of Vietnam’s Penal Code.
In its press release dated March 24, RSF urges the Vietnamese authorities to quash the jail sentences passed on two citizen-journalists and reiterates its call for the repeal of Article 258, the article used to convict them, which penalizes “abusing democratic freedoms.”
“Citizen-journalists have yet again been jailed for wanting to provide their fellow citizens with independently reported news and information,” said Benjamin Ismaïl, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk.
“The scale of this hypocrisy can be appreciated when you realize that many government and judicial officials were Anh Ba Sam’s sources. We urge the international community to put pressure on the Vietnamese authorities so that Vinh and Thuy do not serve these iniquitous sentences.”
On the same day, CRD calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the prominent human rights defender, his assistant and other imprisoned bloggers and urges Vietnamese authorities to stop persecution of human rights defenders and bloggers.
The imprisonments of Mr. Vinh and Ms. Thuy “is a clear case of the Vietnamese authorities using vaguely worded legal provisions as a tool to silence human rights defenders. Nguyen Huu Vinh has engaged in peaceful writing, not committed any crimes,” said Brittis Edman, South East Asia Program Director at CRD.
One day prior to the trial, Amnesty International said “The trial and continuing detention of a blogger and his assistant who have already spent almost two years in jail is farcical and a blight on the country’s human rights record.”
“This is a textbook example of the authorities’ stamping out legitimate criticism and perpetuating a climate of fear in which people are forced to think twice before expressing themselves and asking questions of government,” said Champa Patel, Director of the South East Asia Regional Office.
“They have committed no crime but have languished in pre-trial detention for almost two years in blatant violation of both Vietnamese and international law. This farce must end and they must be immediately released,” Mr. Patel said.
Human Rights Watch said “the Vietnamese government should release and drop all charges against two prominent bloggers.
“Vietnam’s friends and donors should publicly challenge the ludicrous charges against Nguyen Huu Vinh and Nguyen Thi Minh,” said Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “They should demand that the government free all political prisoners and drop all pending charges against dissenting voices.”
According to Human Rights Watch, Vietnam, a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects peaceful expression, including expression critical of governments and leaders, is imprisoning many bloggers.
Some Western governments, including the U.S., have often criticized Vietnam for jailing dissidents for peacefully expressing their views. Hanoi denies the charges, saying only those who break the law are put behind bars.
Vietnam is ranked 175th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2015 World Press Freedom Index.