Hanoi Anti-China Activist Brutally Beaten by Plainclothes Agents after No-U Football Match

Mr. La Viet Dung is hospitalized after beaten by Hanoi security agents on July 10, 2016

Mr. La Viet Dung is hospitalized after beaten by Hanoi security agents on July 10, 2016

The No-U striker received serious injuries in his body and head, and was taken to a hospital for urgent treatment.

By Vu Quoc Ngu, July 10, 2016

On July 10, security forces in Hanoi allegedly attacked La Viet Dung, a member of No-U football team, which opposes China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea (South China Sea), after the team’s Sunday match.

The No-U striker received serious injuries on his body and head, and was taken to a hospital for urgent treatment.

During the match of No-U (which means Say No to U-shaped line claim of China in the East Sea) in the capital city, local authorities sent many police officers and plainclothes agents to closely monitor the local activists who came to play football and see each other.

Police also demanded the football field owners not to allow the No-U team to play, however, the team refused to leave the field, saying the two sides need to respect the signed contract.

After the match, the players and supporters came to have a dinner at a restaurant near the My Dinh national stadium. Police also sent plainclothes agents to watch the restaurant.

After finishing the dinner, the activists dispersed to go home. On his way, Dung was assaulted by a group of five or six plainclothes agents who attacked him with bricks, causing a number of injuries on his head and body after leaving the scene.

Dung is the tenth victim of police persecution during this weekend. Yesterday, pro-democracy activists Nguyen Trung Truc and Mai Van Tam and six others, including three female from the central coastal province of Quang Binh were robbed and beaten by plainclothes agents in the central province of Nghe An when they came to the central province of Nghe An to attend a wedding party of a local activist.

Also on Saturday, Nghe An province-based activist Nguyen Viet Dung was detained by security forces from Ho Chi Minh City who later deported him to his home province. In Vinh city, Dung was held by local police for hours. He said police officers in HCMC and Vinh tortured him during the detentions.

Vietnamese communists have controlled the country for decades and they have no willingness to give up and share power with any party. The ruling communist party has asked the police forces to take all measures to prevent the establishment of opposition.

Recently, Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General To Lam requested the security forces to prevent spontaneous demonstration to ensure the political stability in the Southeast Asian nation.

No-U was established in 2011 and its members are anti-China activists. It has called on local people to participate in peaceful demonstrations to protest China’s expansionism in the East Sea.

The team has been under constant suppression of authorities in Hanoi who have asked field owners not to allow the team to play in their fields, forcing the team to move from one field to another.