Statement about the torture of Mrs. Tran Thi Hong

Vietnam, April 18^th 2016

Dear Mr. Sellers (Chief of Policy Dept, US Consulate General).

In the morning of April 14^th 2016, the public security agents in Gia Lai province took Mrs. Tran Thi Hong to the People’s Committee of Hoa Lu ward (Pleiku city, Gia Lai province) for interrogation. When Mrs. Hong declined to answers their questions in regard to the meeting between Mrs. Hong and US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom on March 30^th 2016, the public security agents of Gia Lai province tortured Mrs. Hong right inside the People’s Committee of Hoa Lu ward. When they realized Mrs. Hong showed signs of a total collapse, the public security agents drove Mrs. Hong back to her house and threw her out near the house gate. Mrs. Hong’s neighbors and children had to carry her inside.

Mrs. Tran Thi Hong is the wife of Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh, a prisoner of conscience currently being imprisoned at An Phuoc prison (Binh Duong province). In 2011, Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment under Article 87 of the Penal Code: “sabotaging the solidarity policy, sowing division between citizens and the government”.

We hereby condemn the inhuman action committed by the public security of Gia Lai province, which violates Article 20 of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the international conventions that Vietnam has signed such as Article 7 of Conventions on Civil and Political Rights; the Convention against Torture, and other Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

We urge you to bring attention to the case of Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh and his family with the following specific recommendations:

1. The public security force must immediately stop monitoring, assaulting, and torturing Mrs. Tran Thi Hong.
2. Reprimand the public security agents and government employees who were involved in the torturing of Mrs. Tran Thi Hong.
3. Release Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh unconditionally.

Best regards.

NGUYEN BAC TRUYEN

Secretary.

Vietnamese Political & Religious Political Friendship Association.

Note:

Attachment of photos related to the incident on April 14^th 2016.

1) The name of the People’s Committee Chairman of Hoa Lu ward is Tran Van Phuc.

2) Photos of Mrs. Hong’s injuries: knees, legs, hands, feet. It’s painful and very difficult for her to move her arms. She is most concerned about her head injuries. It’s very painful even at a light touch. She will try to get medical check as soon as she is able to.

3) The perpetrators:

a) This photo was taken by Mrs. Hong’s 10-years old son on March 30^th 2016 when Mrs. Hong was on her way to the meeting with the US delegation. Mrs. Hong dressed in black and wore the black helmet. The undercover public security agent wearing the white helmet blocked her way. He beat her on that day and took part in torturing her on April 14^th Mrs. Hong said that he was the most violent. He beat her the most and most fiercely.

b) The man in the brown shirt covered her face in the attack on March 30th. He also took part in beating her on April 14th.

c) These 2 men took part in assaulting Mrs. Hong while she was on her way to the meeting with the US delegation on March 30^th.

d) The next 3 undated pictures show a group of unidentified men and a woman monitoring Mrs. Hong’s house. The woman wearing the yellow blouse took part in monitoring and eavesdropping on Mrs. Hong during the meeting with the US delegation on March 30^th and beat Mrs. Hong on April 14^th.

(Note: The red sign says: “The People’s Committee of Hoa Lu ward. Meeting Hall of Residential Cluster # 10.”)