Walking activists starting from Ho Chi Minh City on July 15 to head to Binh Thuan before being detained by police
By Defend the Defenders, July 22, 2017
Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City continue to harass environmental activists who were detained and interrogated for their voice against waste dumping in the central coastal province of Binh Thuan, the victims said.
During the week, security forces in their localities summoned them for interrogation after their release on late night of July 15.
Ms. Ngo Thi Thu, one of the detained environmentalists, said finally police returned her cell phone and identification card they confiscated upon detention.
On July 15, Thu and eight other activists planned to walk from HCM City to Binh Thuan in a bid to raise their voice against the dumping over one million tons of mud by the China-invested Vinh Tan 1 thermal power plant into Binh Thuan province’s coast.
However, not too far from their starting point, the group was stopped by HCM City police who detained them, beating them and confiscating their cameras, cell phones and other personal items. In police custody, they were interrogated for hours and Tran Dinh Chau said he and Dinh Van Hai, who is invalid, were brutally beaten by police officers.
Some activists said their landlords, under pressure of police, suddenly cancelled contracts, leaving them to move from one to another place. Others said police came to pressure their relatives.
The waste dumping is forecast to cause big negative environmental impact. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment approved the dumping plan which was built with fake signatures of some environmental experts.
Vietnam’s government is prioritizing gross domestic product (GDP)’s growth without paying attention to environmental impacts.
Environmental issues are problematic in Vietnam while environmental activists are suffering from the government’s persecution. As Oliver Ward said in his recent article in ASEAN Today, “the Vietnamese government’s decision to crack down on protestors shows their appetite to endorse foreign governments, not the activists.”
In late June, Vietnam sentenced human rights defender and environmental activist Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh to ten years in prison. On July 25, the communist government will try Tran Thi Nga, another activist who also strongly voiced about environmental issues related with Chinese and Taiwanese projects. In addition, a number of other environmental activists including Nguyen Van Hoa and Nguyen Van Oai have been detained and charged with trumped-up allegations.
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July 22, 2017
Authorities in HCM City Continue Harassing Environmentalists after Release
by Nhan Quyen • [Human Rights]
Walking activists starting from Ho Chi Minh City on July 15 to head to Binh Thuan before being detained by police
By Defend the Defenders, July 22, 2017
Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City continue to harass environmental activists who were detained and interrogated for their voice against waste dumping in the central coastal province of Binh Thuan, the victims said.
During the week, security forces in their localities summoned them for interrogation after their release on late night of July 15.
Ms. Ngo Thi Thu, one of the detained environmentalists, said finally police returned her cell phone and identification card they confiscated upon detention.
On July 15, Thu and eight other activists planned to walk from HCM City to Binh Thuan in a bid to raise their voice against the dumping over one million tons of mud by the China-invested Vinh Tan 1 thermal power plant into Binh Thuan province’s coast.
However, not too far from their starting point, the group was stopped by HCM City police who detained them, beating them and confiscating their cameras, cell phones and other personal items. In police custody, they were interrogated for hours and Tran Dinh Chau said he and Dinh Van Hai, who is invalid, were brutally beaten by police officers.
Some activists said their landlords, under pressure of police, suddenly cancelled contracts, leaving them to move from one to another place. Others said police came to pressure their relatives.
The waste dumping is forecast to cause big negative environmental impact. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment approved the dumping plan which was built with fake signatures of some environmental experts.
Vietnam’s government is prioritizing gross domestic product (GDP)’s growth without paying attention to environmental impacts.
Environmental issues are problematic in Vietnam while environmental activists are suffering from the government’s persecution. As Oliver Ward said in his recent article in ASEAN Today, “the Vietnamese government’s decision to crack down on protestors shows their appetite to endorse foreign governments, not the activists.”
In late June, Vietnam sentenced human rights defender and environmental activist Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh to ten years in prison. On July 25, the communist government will try Tran Thi Nga, another activist who also strongly voiced about environmental issues related with Chinese and Taiwanese projects. In addition, a number of other environmental activists including Nguyen Van Hoa and Nguyen Van Oai have been detained and charged with trumped-up allegations.