Defend the Defenders | October 08, 2017
On October 05, Vietnam’s police detained retired teacher Dao Quang Thuc, accusing him of “carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the administration, which comes under Article 79 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code.
His arrest is a part of Vietnam’s ongoing crackdown on local activists ahead of the APEC Summit scheduled in the central city of Danang in November amid growing social dissatisfaction due to systemic corruption, worsening human rights record, heavy environmental pollution and weak response to China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea (South China Sea). The Vietnamese communist government has arrested around 20 activists so far this year and charged most of them with national security provisions in the Penal Code.
Vietnam’s authorities likely will bring anti-corruption blogger Phan Kim Khanh to court soon. Khanh, a university student, was arrested in March and charged with “conducting anti-state propapanda” under Article 88 of the Penal Code.
Human rights activist Tran Thi Nga, who was sentenced to nine years in prison and four years of probation by a court in August, was disciplined by authorities of the Ha Nam police’ temporary detention facility as she rejected the conviction. She was placed in a solitary cell and not permitted to purchase additional food in the facility’s canteen for one month.
Pro-government thugs continue to terror Catholic followers in Dong Kieu parish in the central province of Nghe An while local authorities have not taken any measures to protect innocent residents.
Protestant pastor Than VanTruong was barred from leaving the country to the U.S. due to his activities aiming to promote freedom of religions and beliefs in Vietnam.
===== October 03 =====
Imprisoned Human Rights Activist Tran Thi Nga Disciplined due to Rejecting Conviction
Defend the Defenders: Human rights defender Tran Thi Nga, who was sentenced by a court in the northern province of Ha Nam to nine years in jail and five years of probation in August, had been disciplined by authorities of the province’s police temporary detention facility, according to her lawyer Ha Huy Son.
Lawyer Son, who came to meet her to prepare her defense for appealing hearing, said Nga was disciplined after refused to accept the sentence given by the Ha Nam province People’s Court.
Son said after being sentenced on the allegation of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code, Nga was placed in solitary cell for five days. She had not been allowed to purchase additional food supplements from the detention facility’s canteen.
The lawyer said Nga is still suffering from the injuries of her legs, which were broken in an assault carried out by plainclothes agents Hanoi in 2015 and the injuries caused by a work accident in Taiwan where she worked as visiting worker.
Nga has not yet to be allowed to meet with her family, including her two kids Phan Van Phu, 7 years old, and Phan Van Tai, 5 years old since being arrested in late January. Authorities in Ha Nam province said she needs approval from the Supreme People’s Court for meeting them.
After being convicted in August, Nga submitted her appeal and the appeal hearing may be held soon, according to lawyer Son.
For more information about human rights defender Nga, please go to: /?s=tran+thi+nga
——————–
Protestant Pastor Than Van Truong Barred from Travelling to U.S.
Defend the Defenders: On October 3, authorities in the Tan Son Nhat International Aiport in Ho Chi Minh City blocked Protestant pastor Than Van Truong from taking an international flight to the U.S., saying the blockage is based on national security ground.
In a written document, security forces say the pastor is on the list of activists who are not allowed to travel outside of the country due to security reasons.
Pastor Truong, his wife and the mother-in-law of his son, however, the two female were allowed to go.
This is the second time pastor Truong was not allowed to go abroad. Last year, he was barred from leaving to Cambodia in a trip on religious affairs.
Ten years ago, Vietnam’s authorities confiscated his passport due to his voicing for freedom of religions and beliefs in the country. He was given to possess a passport after ten years of protest.
He has been placed under house arrest for years. Local authorities have also harassed him, not allowing followers to gather in his private residence.
Pastor Truong is among many religious clergies blocked from going abroad. Others are Catholic priest Nguyen Ngoc Nam Phong and Protestant pastor Pham Ngoc Thach.
Along with blocking local activists from meeting with foreign diplomats and visiting officials, Vietnam has barred hundreds of political dissidents, human rights defenders, social activists and bloggers from going abroad.
===== October 05 =====
Vietnamese Retired Teacher Arrested, Charged with Subversion
Defend the Defenders: On October 5, authorities in Vietnam’s northern province of Hoa Binh arrested former teacher Dao Quang Thuc and accused of carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the administration, which comes under Article 79 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code.
In its announcement released on Thursday, the province’s police investigation agency said they conducted an urgent arrest of Mr. Thuc and carried out searching his private residence in Toan Son commune, Da Bac district.
Mr. Thuc, 60, will be held in the province police’s detention facility where he will be probed for subversion, the police said.
Mr. Thuc retired recently. He has participated in a number of peaceful activities which aimed to protest China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea (South China Sea), protect environment and fight against corruption. He had also posted his opinions about these issues on social networks including Facebook.
He has been among around 20 activists arrested and charged with controversial articles 79, 88 and 258 of the national security provisions in the Penal Code so far this year.
Among detainees are human rights defenders Nguyen Trung Ton, Pham Van Troi, Truong Minh Duc, Nguyen Van Tuc, and Nguyen Trung Truc, key persons from Brotherhood for Democracy and its co-founder Nguyen Bac Truyen who left the organization several years ago, and Le Van Luong from Vietnam Reform Party (Viet Tan), a pro-democracy group in the U.S. but labelled as terrorist group by the Vietnamese communist government.
Vietnam has also added subversion charges on prominent human rights attorney Nguyen Van Dai and his assistant Le Thu Ha who were arrested in late 2015 and charged with conducting anti-state propaganda under Article 88 of the Penal Code.
Vietnam has also arrested a number of activists and charged them with Article 88, including Vu Quang Thuan, Nguyen Van Dien, Tran Hoang Phuc and Phan Kim Khanh.
In July-September, Vietnam held unfair trials to try human rights activists Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Tran Thi Nga and Nguyen Van Oai. The first was sentenced to ten years in prison, the second- nine years in prison and four years under house arrest, and the third- five years in jail and four years of probation.
Vietnam has intensified political crackdown ahead of APEC Summit scheduled in the central city of Danang in November. The ruling Communist Party of Vietnam has no plan to share its political power with other parties so it has ordered the government to make all efforts to prevent the formation of opposition party amid growing social dissatisfaction on systemic corruption, serious environmental pollution, poor economic performance and weak response to China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty.
===== October 07 =====
Government-backed Thugs Terror Catholic Followers in Dong Yen Parish Again
Defend the Defenders: Pro-government thugs backed by local authorities continue to terror Catholic followers in Dong Kieu parish, Dien My commune, Dien Chau district, Nghe An province, local activists have said.
On the evening of Saturday, a group of pro-government thugs came back to the parish, demolishing properties of a local cafeteria and some private houses. They broke tables and chairs and other items while police stationing nearly did nothing to prevent them.
Thugs also demolished some religious statues and symbols.
The terror of pro-government thugs began in August but the local authorities have taken any measures to deal with the perpetrators.
Authorities have sent some policemen to station near the parish, however, the thugs have become more aggressive.
——————–
Anti-corruption Blogger Phan Kim Khanh to Be Tried Soon
Defend the Defenders: Vietnam’s authorities will soon hold a trial against blogger Phan Kim Khanh with allegation of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s Penal Code, according to his lawyer Ha Huy Son.
Mr. Khanh, who was arrested on March 21 while taking under-graduate course in Thai Nguyen University, was permitted to meet with lawyer Son on September 20 to prepare for his defense after six months being held incommunicado.
Lawyer Son said Khanh’s health is normal and there was no sign of being tortured.
Khanh, who is an excellent second-year student and president of the Student Association of the university’s International Studies Faculty, was said by police to manage two blogs namely “Bao Tham nhung” (Corruption Newspaper” and “Tuan bao Viet Nam” (Vietnam Weekly) and three Facebook accounts namely “Bao Tham nhung,” “Tuan bao Viet Nam” and “Dan chu TV” (Democracy TV) as well as two Youtube channels namely “Viet Bao TV” and “Vietnam Online.” Vietnam’s authorities said Khanh used these social networks to propagandize anti-state information.
Police also said that Khanh had contacted with people considered by the authorities as anti-reactionary individuals, including former political prisoner Nguyen Van Hai (aka Dieu Cay), who is living in exile in the U.S. after spending years in Vietnam’s prison.
Khanh was said to participate in managing some websites of the Vietnam Reform Party (Viet Tan), a U.S.-based pro-democracy group considered as a terrorist organization by Vietnam’s government.
Activists said the websites and Facebook accounts managed by Khanh are providing real news on Vietnam, particularly on the country’s systemic corruption, the issue the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam vows to deal with.
Khanh comes from a poor family with two old parents. He has been one of nearly 20 activists arrested by Vietnam’s government on allegation of conducting anti-state activities so far this year.
He has been one of nearly 20 activists arrested by Vietnam’s government on allegation of conducting anti-state activities so far this year.
In July-September, Vietnam imprisoned three activists namely Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh (Mother mushroom), Tran Thi Nga and Nguyen Van Oai. The first two were convicted of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 and sentenced to ten years and nine years in prison, respectively while Mr. Oai was sentenced to five years in jail and four years under house arrest on allegation of “failing to execute sentences” under Article 304 and “resisting on-duty state officials” under Article 245 of the Penal Code.
In order to keep the country under a one-party regime, the Vietnamese communist government has used controversial articles such as 79, 88, and 258 of the national security provisions of the Penal Code to silence local dissidents, human rights advocates, social activists and online bloggers.
According to international human rights organizations, Vietnam is holding over 100 prisoners of conscience. Hanoi always denies, saying it is imprisoning only law violators.
/2017/10/08/blogger-phan-kim-khanh-to-be-tried-soon/
===================
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October 8, 2017
Vietnam Human Rights Defenders’ Weekly October 2-8, 2017: Vietnam Arrests Retired Teacher, Accusing Him of Carrying out Activities to Overthrow Government
by Nhan Quyen • [Human Rights], DEFENDER’S WEEKLY
Defend the Defenders | October 08, 2017
On October 05, Vietnam’s police detained retired teacher Dao Quang Thuc, accusing him of “carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the administration, which comes under Article 79 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code.
His arrest is a part of Vietnam’s ongoing crackdown on local activists ahead of the APEC Summit scheduled in the central city of Danang in November amid growing social dissatisfaction due to systemic corruption, worsening human rights record, heavy environmental pollution and weak response to China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea (South China Sea). The Vietnamese communist government has arrested around 20 activists so far this year and charged most of them with national security provisions in the Penal Code.
Vietnam’s authorities likely will bring anti-corruption blogger Phan Kim Khanh to court soon. Khanh, a university student, was arrested in March and charged with “conducting anti-state propapanda” under Article 88 of the Penal Code.
Human rights activist Tran Thi Nga, who was sentenced to nine years in prison and four years of probation by a court in August, was disciplined by authorities of the Ha Nam police’ temporary detention facility as she rejected the conviction. She was placed in a solitary cell and not permitted to purchase additional food in the facility’s canteen for one month.
Pro-government thugs continue to terror Catholic followers in Dong Kieu parish in the central province of Nghe An while local authorities have not taken any measures to protect innocent residents.
Protestant pastor Than VanTruong was barred from leaving the country to the U.S. due to his activities aiming to promote freedom of religions and beliefs in Vietnam.
===== October 03 =====
Imprisoned Human Rights Activist Tran Thi Nga Disciplined due to Rejecting Conviction
Defend the Defenders: Human rights defender Tran Thi Nga, who was sentenced by a court in the northern province of Ha Nam to nine years in jail and five years of probation in August, had been disciplined by authorities of the province’s police temporary detention facility, according to her lawyer Ha Huy Son.
Lawyer Son, who came to meet her to prepare her defense for appealing hearing, said Nga was disciplined after refused to accept the sentence given by the Ha Nam province People’s Court.
Son said after being sentenced on the allegation of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code, Nga was placed in solitary cell for five days. She had not been allowed to purchase additional food supplements from the detention facility’s canteen.
The lawyer said Nga is still suffering from the injuries of her legs, which were broken in an assault carried out by plainclothes agents Hanoi in 2015 and the injuries caused by a work accident in Taiwan where she worked as visiting worker.
Nga has not yet to be allowed to meet with her family, including her two kids Phan Van Phu, 7 years old, and Phan Van Tai, 5 years old since being arrested in late January. Authorities in Ha Nam province said she needs approval from the Supreme People’s Court for meeting them.
After being convicted in August, Nga submitted her appeal and the appeal hearing may be held soon, according to lawyer Son.
For more information about human rights defender Nga, please go to: /?s=tran+thi+nga
——————–
Protestant Pastor Than Van Truong Barred from Travelling to U.S.
Defend the Defenders: On October 3, authorities in the Tan Son Nhat International Aiport in Ho Chi Minh City blocked Protestant pastor Than Van Truong from taking an international flight to the U.S., saying the blockage is based on national security ground.
In a written document, security forces say the pastor is on the list of activists who are not allowed to travel outside of the country due to security reasons.
Pastor Truong, his wife and the mother-in-law of his son, however, the two female were allowed to go.
This is the second time pastor Truong was not allowed to go abroad. Last year, he was barred from leaving to Cambodia in a trip on religious affairs.
Ten years ago, Vietnam’s authorities confiscated his passport due to his voicing for freedom of religions and beliefs in the country. He was given to possess a passport after ten years of protest.
He has been placed under house arrest for years. Local authorities have also harassed him, not allowing followers to gather in his private residence.
Pastor Truong is among many religious clergies blocked from going abroad. Others are Catholic priest Nguyen Ngoc Nam Phong and Protestant pastor Pham Ngoc Thach.
Along with blocking local activists from meeting with foreign diplomats and visiting officials, Vietnam has barred hundreds of political dissidents, human rights defenders, social activists and bloggers from going abroad.
===== October 05 =====
Vietnamese Retired Teacher Arrested, Charged with Subversion
Defend the Defenders: On October 5, authorities in Vietnam’s northern province of Hoa Binh arrested former teacher Dao Quang Thuc and accused of carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the administration, which comes under Article 79 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code.
In its announcement released on Thursday, the province’s police investigation agency said they conducted an urgent arrest of Mr. Thuc and carried out searching his private residence in Toan Son commune, Da Bac district.
Mr. Thuc, 60, will be held in the province police’s detention facility where he will be probed for subversion, the police said.
Mr. Thuc retired recently. He has participated in a number of peaceful activities which aimed to protest China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea (South China Sea), protect environment and fight against corruption. He had also posted his opinions about these issues on social networks including Facebook.
He has been among around 20 activists arrested and charged with controversial articles 79, 88 and 258 of the national security provisions in the Penal Code so far this year.
Among detainees are human rights defenders Nguyen Trung Ton, Pham Van Troi, Truong Minh Duc, Nguyen Van Tuc, and Nguyen Trung Truc, key persons from Brotherhood for Democracy and its co-founder Nguyen Bac Truyen who left the organization several years ago, and Le Van Luong from Vietnam Reform Party (Viet Tan), a pro-democracy group in the U.S. but labelled as terrorist group by the Vietnamese communist government.
Vietnam has also added subversion charges on prominent human rights attorney Nguyen Van Dai and his assistant Le Thu Ha who were arrested in late 2015 and charged with conducting anti-state propaganda under Article 88 of the Penal Code.
Vietnam has also arrested a number of activists and charged them with Article 88, including Vu Quang Thuan, Nguyen Van Dien, Tran Hoang Phuc and Phan Kim Khanh.
In July-September, Vietnam held unfair trials to try human rights activists Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Tran Thi Nga and Nguyen Van Oai. The first was sentenced to ten years in prison, the second- nine years in prison and four years under house arrest, and the third- five years in jail and four years of probation.
Vietnam has intensified political crackdown ahead of APEC Summit scheduled in the central city of Danang in November. The ruling Communist Party of Vietnam has no plan to share its political power with other parties so it has ordered the government to make all efforts to prevent the formation of opposition party amid growing social dissatisfaction on systemic corruption, serious environmental pollution, poor economic performance and weak response to China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty.
===== October 07 =====
Government-backed Thugs Terror Catholic Followers in Dong Yen Parish Again
Defend the Defenders: Pro-government thugs backed by local authorities continue to terror Catholic followers in Dong Kieu parish, Dien My commune, Dien Chau district, Nghe An province, local activists have said.
On the evening of Saturday, a group of pro-government thugs came back to the parish, demolishing properties of a local cafeteria and some private houses. They broke tables and chairs and other items while police stationing nearly did nothing to prevent them.
Thugs also demolished some religious statues and symbols.
The terror of pro-government thugs began in August but the local authorities have taken any measures to deal with the perpetrators.
Authorities have sent some policemen to station near the parish, however, the thugs have become more aggressive.
——————–
Anti-corruption Blogger Phan Kim Khanh to Be Tried Soon
Defend the Defenders: Vietnam’s authorities will soon hold a trial against blogger Phan Kim Khanh with allegation of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the country’s Penal Code, according to his lawyer Ha Huy Son.
Mr. Khanh, who was arrested on March 21 while taking under-graduate course in Thai Nguyen University, was permitted to meet with lawyer Son on September 20 to prepare for his defense after six months being held incommunicado.
Lawyer Son said Khanh’s health is normal and there was no sign of being tortured.
Khanh, who is an excellent second-year student and president of the Student Association of the university’s International Studies Faculty, was said by police to manage two blogs namely “Bao Tham nhung” (Corruption Newspaper” and “Tuan bao Viet Nam” (Vietnam Weekly) and three Facebook accounts namely “Bao Tham nhung,” “Tuan bao Viet Nam” and “Dan chu TV” (Democracy TV) as well as two Youtube channels namely “Viet Bao TV” and “Vietnam Online.” Vietnam’s authorities said Khanh used these social networks to propagandize anti-state information.
Police also said that Khanh had contacted with people considered by the authorities as anti-reactionary individuals, including former political prisoner Nguyen Van Hai (aka Dieu Cay), who is living in exile in the U.S. after spending years in Vietnam’s prison.
Khanh was said to participate in managing some websites of the Vietnam Reform Party (Viet Tan), a U.S.-based pro-democracy group considered as a terrorist organization by Vietnam’s government.
Activists said the websites and Facebook accounts managed by Khanh are providing real news on Vietnam, particularly on the country’s systemic corruption, the issue the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam vows to deal with.
Khanh comes from a poor family with two old parents. He has been one of nearly 20 activists arrested by Vietnam’s government on allegation of conducting anti-state activities so far this year.
He has been one of nearly 20 activists arrested by Vietnam’s government on allegation of conducting anti-state activities so far this year.
In July-September, Vietnam imprisoned three activists namely Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh (Mother mushroom), Tran Thi Nga and Nguyen Van Oai. The first two were convicted of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 and sentenced to ten years and nine years in prison, respectively while Mr. Oai was sentenced to five years in jail and four years under house arrest on allegation of “failing to execute sentences” under Article 304 and “resisting on-duty state officials” under Article 245 of the Penal Code.
In order to keep the country under a one-party regime, the Vietnamese communist government has used controversial articles such as 79, 88, and 258 of the national security provisions of the Penal Code to silence local dissidents, human rights advocates, social activists and online bloggers.
According to international human rights organizations, Vietnam is holding over 100 prisoners of conscience. Hanoi always denies, saying it is imprisoning only law violators.
/2017/10/08/blogger-phan-kim-khanh-to-be-tried-soon/
===================