Dissidents, activists and human rights defenders gathered on May 11 to mark the Vietnam Human Rights Day
During the meeting, Dr. Que highlighted the history of Vietnam Human Rights Day, an annual observance held in the U.S. on May 11 designated by a Joint Resolution of the U.S. Congress in 1994.
By Vu Quoc Ngu, May 12, 2016
Dozens of activists in Saigon on Wednesday held the first meeting to mark the Vietnam Human Rights Day [May 11] amid the government’s intensified crackdown against local political dissidents, social activists and human rights defenders.
Among attendees were Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, initiator of “Manifesto for the Non-Violent Movement for Human Rights in Vietnam”, former political prisoners Le Cong Dinh, Pham Ba Hai , Tran Minh Nhat and Pham Minh Hoang, blogger Tran Bang and Duong Thi Tan.
During the meeting, Dr. Que highlighted the history of Vietnam Human Rights Day, an annual observance held in the U.S. on May 11 designated by a Joint Resolution of the U.S. Congress in 1994.
Dr. Que, who was recently awarded with the South Korean Gwangju Prize for Human Rights this year, said the resolution was based on his “Manifesto for the Non-Violent Movement for Human Rights in Vietnam” which called for peaceful advocacy against repression and called on the government to respect basic human rights, accept a multi-party political system and allow free and fair national elections.
Due to the manifesto, the Vietnamese government arrested him in 1990 for the second time and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.
Recognizing the need for additional human rights protection in the single-party Vietnam where the government has imposed restriction on freedom of association, assembly, press and speech, the U.S. Congress designated May 11 as Vietnam Human Rights Day to commemorate a “Program for the Non-Violent Movement for Human Rights in Vietnam” developed by Dr. Que.
Since 1994, the Congress has marked the day every year, and Vietnam is only the country in the world that the Congress has such a resolution.
However, due to the local suppression, Vietnamese activists had no chance to mark the day. Vietnam’s security forces have taken all measures to prevent local activists from gathering.
On April 8, police in Hanoi violently dispersed a peaceful meeting at a local cafeteria of dozens of local activists who gathered to mark the 10th anniversary of the pro-democracy group Bloc 8406, severely beaten and detaining nearly ten of them.
Dr. Que said he hopes the Vietnam Human Rights Day to be popular and marked freely every year in the future with participation of thousands of people.
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May 13, 2016
Saigon-based Activists Hold First Vietnam Human Rights Day May 11 amid Intensified Political Crackdown
by Nhan Quyen • [Human Rights]
Dissidents, activists and human rights defenders gathered on May 11 to mark the Vietnam Human Rights Day
By Vu Quoc Ngu, May 12, 2016
Dozens of activists in Saigon on Wednesday held the first meeting to mark the Vietnam Human Rights Day [May 11] amid the government’s intensified crackdown against local political dissidents, social activists and human rights defenders.
Among attendees were Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, initiator of “Manifesto for the Non-Violent Movement for Human Rights in Vietnam”, former political prisoners Le Cong Dinh, Pham Ba Hai , Tran Minh Nhat and Pham Minh Hoang, blogger Tran Bang and Duong Thi Tan.
During the meeting, Dr. Que highlighted the history of Vietnam Human Rights Day, an annual observance held in the U.S. on May 11 designated by a Joint Resolution of the U.S. Congress in 1994.
Dr. Que, who was recently awarded with the South Korean Gwangju Prize for Human Rights this year, said the resolution was based on his “Manifesto for the Non-Violent Movement for Human Rights in Vietnam” which called for peaceful advocacy against repression and called on the government to respect basic human rights, accept a multi-party political system and allow free and fair national elections.
Due to the manifesto, the Vietnamese government arrested him in 1990 for the second time and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.
Recognizing the need for additional human rights protection in the single-party Vietnam where the government has imposed restriction on freedom of association, assembly, press and speech, the U.S. Congress designated May 11 as Vietnam Human Rights Day to commemorate a “Program for the Non-Violent Movement for Human Rights in Vietnam” developed by Dr. Que.
Since 1994, the Congress has marked the day every year, and Vietnam is only the country in the world that the Congress has such a resolution.
However, due to the local suppression, Vietnamese activists had no chance to mark the day. Vietnam’s security forces have taken all measures to prevent local activists from gathering.
On April 8, police in Hanoi violently dispersed a peaceful meeting at a local cafeteria of dozens of local activists who gathered to mark the 10th anniversary of the pro-democracy group Bloc 8406, severely beaten and detaining nearly ten of them.
Dr. Que said he hopes the Vietnam Human Rights Day to be popular and marked freely every year in the future with participation of thousands of people.