Defend the Defenders | February 11, 2018
On February 6, Vietnam convicted environmentalist and labor activist Hoang Duc Binh on allegations of “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” under Article 330 and “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens” under Article 331 of the country’s 2015 Penal Code.
The People’s Court of Dien Chau district, Nghe An province sentenced him to 14 years in prison, a move condemned by international human rights organizations, foreign governments and local activists.
With the conviction and sentence of Binh, vice president of unsanctioned Viet Labor Movement, the Vietnamese government wants to discourage other activists from raising their voices on environmental issues, especially about the environmental disaster caused by the illegal discharge of a huge volume of toxic industrial waste by the Taiwanese Formosa steel plant in the country’s central coast which caused massive death of fisheries in April 2016.
Before the trial of Binh, Human Rights Watch called on Vietnam to release him immediately and unconditionally. After the trial, the governments of the US and Germany criticized the Vietnamese government for using controversial articles in the Penal Code to imprison the activist whose activities aim to protect the country’s environment and assist Formosa-affected fishermen.
Three days later, Vietnam imprisoned five religious activists in An Giang, giving them a total of 20 years in prison. Hoa Hao Buddhist followers Bui Van Trung and his Bui Van Tham and three others have been jailed just for exercising their right of freedom of religion enshrined in the country’s 2013 Constitution as the government continues its persecution against unsanctioned religious minority groups.
On February 8, police in Dong Nai province freed former prisoner of conscience Doan Van Dien after keeping him six days in detention without issuing arrest warrant. Police still maintain close surveillance of him and hunt for his son Doan Huy Chuong, who is active in assisting workers in demanding for higher salaries and better working conditions.
Authorities in the northern province of Thai Nguyen have arrested anti-corruption blogger Nguyen Van Truong, 41, on allegation of “abusing democratic freedom” under Article 331 of the 2015 Penal Code. His arrest shows that Vietnam’s communist government has no willingness to deal with the country’s systemic corruption.
===== February 5 =====
Dong Nai Police Re-arrest Former Prisoner of Conscience Doan Van Dien and Seek for His Son Doan Huy Chuong
Defend the Defenders: Police in Vietnam’s southern province of Dong Nai took former prisoner of conscience Doan Van Dien in custody on February 3, four days after releasing him, his son Doan Huy Chuong informed Defend the Defenders.
Freed on January 30 after 38 days of illegal detention by Dong Nai police, Mr. Dien returned back to his private residence in the Central Highlands. His family couldn’t contact him so they sought for him until learned that he was re-arrested by Dong Nai police.
Dong Nai police verbally told his oldest son Doan Van Tam that they “invited” him to police station to work on national security matters. No arrest warrant was issued, like the previous detention between December 24 last year to late January this year.
Dong Nai police have also sought for Chuong, a former prisoner of conscience and vice president of the unsanctioned Viet Labor Movement. They requested the family to tell them the location of Chuong who has been forced to hide to avoid being arrested after police detained his father last year.
Mr. Chuong, who spent a total of eight years and six months in prison for his union activities, told Defend the Defenders that the detention of his father is a ploy of Dong Nai police in a bid to force him to show up so they can arrest him.
On January 30, before releasing the father, police interrogated Tam about his younger brother Chuong, requesting him to provide a telephone number and the location of Chuong.
Chuong’s activities aiming to help workers, especially in foreign-invested companies to fight for higher salaries and better working conditions are the reason Vietnam’s authorities want to arrest him.
Prioritizing higher gross domestic product (GDP), Vietnam’s government has supported companies, including foreign-invested ones, but ignored environmental pollution and workers’ lives. According to state media, the average income of Vietnamese workers is ten times lower that the ASEAN average workers’ salary.
Since being released in February 2017, Chuong has continued working for workers’ rights. He is one of the most active figures of the Viet Labor Movement.
Hoang Duc Binh, also vice president of the unsanctioned union organization, was arrested in mid May last year by police in the central province of Nghe An. His trial is held on February 6 on allegations of “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” under Article 330 and “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens” under Article 331 of the country’s 2015 Penal Code.
===== February 6 =====
Vietnamese Labor Activist, Environmentalist Hoang Duc Binh Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison
Defend the Defenders: On February 6, the People’s Court of Dien Chau district, Nghe An province sentenced environmentalist and labor activist Hoang Duc Binh to 14 years in prison in a move to halt his activism which aims to protect workers’ rights and protest the Taiwanese Formosa steel plant blamed for the environmental disaster in the central coastal region in 2016.
During the one-day trial, the court found Binh guilty of “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” under Article 330 and “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens” under Article 331 of the country’s 2015 Penal Code.
The court also sentenced Nguyen Nam Phong, the driver of Catholic priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc, to two years in prison for allegation of “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties.”
Only the parents of Binh and the wife of Phong were allowed to enter the courtroom. Younger brothers of Binh and other relatives were detained when they were on their way to the court’s areas. Police brutally beat them and took them in custody where they were tortured and robbed before being released in late afternoon.
Authorities in Nghe An deployed a large number of police and militia to block all the roads to the court in Vinh city.
A group of four activists from Hanoi went to Vinh to support Binh and Phong, however, police detained them when they arrived in the city, beating them and deporting them back to Hanoi.
On May 15, 2017, authorities in Nghe An kidnapped Mr. Binh when he escorted Catholic priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc from the Song Ngoc parish in Dien Chau district to Vinh city. Their car was stopped by police in Dien Chau district’s center and police violently removed Binh from the car. Later, police publicized an arrest order of Binh issued by the province’s People’s Procuracy two days earlier.
On November 28, 2017, police in Nghe An also arrested Nguyen Nam Phong, the driver, and accused him of “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” under Article 330 as he denied police’s orders to open his car doors to allow them arrest Binh.
Binh is a vice president of the unsanctioned Viet Labor Movement.
Along with working to promote rights of workers, Binh is a well-known blogger who has covered news on the Formosa-causing environmental disaster in the central coastal region. He also assisted affected fishermen in seeking justice in the case by requesting the Taiwanese firm pay adequate compensation and take proper measures to clean the environment in the central coast.
In the press release of the Viet Labor Movement on his detention, the organization said the arrest aims to neutralize him because he has effectively assisted regional Catholic priests in helping thousands of victims of the environmental catastrophes caused by the Taiwanese Formosa steel plant and Ho Ho hydropower plant.
The Taiwanese Formosa steel plant illegally discharged a huge amount of industrial waste into waters in the central coast, causing massive death of fisheries in April 2016.
Instead of asking the foreign investor to take measures to clean the water and compensate adequately for local fishermen, Vietnam’s government has suppressed the local Catholic community which strongly protested the Taiwanese firm.
Authorities from Dien Chau district and Nghe An province deployed thousands of police officers, militia and thugs to attack Catholic followers when they were on their way to Ha Tinh province to challenge the Taiwanese company, causing severe injuries for hundreds of people, including priest Dang Huu Nam.
The arrest and trial of Mr. Binh are part of Vietnam’s ongoing intensified crackdown on local activists which began from early 2016 when the new communist leadership was formed with many police generals being appointed in key posts gained power after the ruling communist party’s National Congress in January.
Last year, Vietnam arrested at least 45 activists and convicted 19 ones, giving them hard sentences of between three and 16 years, mostly on allegations in the national security provisions in the Penal Code.
Among convicted are human rights defenders and environmentalists Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Tran Thuy Nga and blogger Nguyen Van Hoa.
Vietnam is holding around 180 prisoners of conscience, according to Defend the Defenders’ counting.
===== February 8 =====
Former Prisoner of Conscience Doan Van Dien Released after Six Days of Illegal Detention
Defend the Defenders: Former prisoner of conscience Doan Van Dien has been released after being illegally kept in detention by Dong Nai police for second time within few months, his family informed Defend the Defenders.
Mr. Dien, father of former prisoner of conscience Doan Huy Chuong, was re-arrested by Dong Nai police on February 3 and freed on February 8, the son said.
However, Mr. Dien, who spent four and half years in prison for his social activities, has still been under close surveillance of Dong Nai police, Chuong said, adding he has yet to contact his father due to security concerns.
This is the second illegal detention of Mr. Dien by Dong Nai police. In the first detention, he was held in custody from December 24 last year until January 30 this year.
The main purpose of the two arbitrary detentions is to force Chuong to show up so police can arrest him.
Chuong, who spent a total of eight years and six months in prison for his independent union activities, is targeted by Dong Nai police. Currently, Chuong is a vice president of the unsanctioned Viet Labor Movement which strives to assist workers in requesting higher salaries and better working conditions.
===== February 9 =====
Five Religious Activists in Southern Vietnam Jailed with Total 22 Years
Defend the Defenders: On February 9, the People’s Court of Vietnam’s southern province of An Giang convicted six followers of Hoa Hao Buddhist sect for their activities which aimed to fight for religious freedom.
Bui Van Tham was convicted of “causing public disorders” under Article 245 and “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” under Article 257 while Bui Van Trung, Nguyen Hoang Nam, Bui Thi Bich Tuyen, Le Hong Hanh and Le Thi Hen were alleged with “causing public disorders” under Article 245 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code.
Bui Van Tham and Bui Thi Bich Tuyen are children of Mr. Bui Van Tham and Mrs. Le Thi Hien while Nguyen Hoang Nam is the couple’s son-in-law.
The court gave them a total of 20 years in prison and two years under probation. Particularly, the court sentenced Bui Van Trung and his son Bui Van Tham to six years each, Nguyen Hoang Nam to four years, and Bui Thi Bich Tuyen and Le Hong Hanh to three years in prison each while Le Thi Hen was given two years under probation.
The religious activists were arrested in late June last year, two months after they protested persecution of local authorities who sent police and thugs to block the private residence of Bui Van Trung in late April, not allowing other independent followers to gather in his house in An Phu district to attend the anniversary commemoration of Bui Van Trung’s mother’s death.
Trung and sentenced activists are independent Hoa Hao Buddhist sect who refused to practice their religion under the control of the state.
The arrests and convictions of the six activists are part of Vietnam’s crackdown on independent religious groups, including Hoa Hao and Cao Dai Buddhist sects in southern Vietnam.
On February 8, Human Rights Watch issued a statement calling on Vietnam’s government to drop charges against the group and release them immediately and unconditionally.
“This appears to be the latest instance of official persecution of members of this religion,” said Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “The government should stop harassing and arresting those who belong to unsanctioned religious groups and leave people to practice their faith as they see fit,” he said.
===== February 10 =====
Anti-corruption Blogger Arrested, Charged with Abusing Democratic Freedom
Defend the Defenders: Authorities in Vietnam’s northern province of Thai Nguyen have arrested anti-corruption blogger Nguyen Van Truong on allegation of “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens” under Article 331 of the country’s 2015 Penal Code.
According to state media, Chuong had abused the right of denunciation, producing many video clips and a number of articles to defame state officials, and posting them on social networks, including his Facebook account.
The subjects of his posts were police and procuracy officials in Thai Nguyen and the central agencies, media said.
Truong will be held incommunicado for the next four months for investigation. He will face imprisonment of up to seven years, according to the current Vietnam’s law.
He has been the second activist detained so far this year. In early January, Vietnam arrested pro-democracy activist Vu Van Hung on allegation of “causing public disorders” but later changed it into “Inflicting injuries.”
In order to keep the country under a one-party regime, the communist government has little tolerance for its critics. Last year, Vietnam arrested at least 45 activists and convicted nearly 20 with heavy sentences of between three and 16 years in jail.
=================
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February 14, 2018
Vietnam Human Rights Defenders’ Weekly February 5-11, 2018: Anti-Formosa Activist Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison
by Nhan Quyen • [Human Rights], DEFENDER’S WEEKLY
Defend the Defenders | February 11, 2018
On February 6, Vietnam convicted environmentalist and labor activist Hoang Duc Binh on allegations of “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” under Article 330 and “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens” under Article 331 of the country’s 2015 Penal Code.
The People’s Court of Dien Chau district, Nghe An province sentenced him to 14 years in prison, a move condemned by international human rights organizations, foreign governments and local activists.
With the conviction and sentence of Binh, vice president of unsanctioned Viet Labor Movement, the Vietnamese government wants to discourage other activists from raising their voices on environmental issues, especially about the environmental disaster caused by the illegal discharge of a huge volume of toxic industrial waste by the Taiwanese Formosa steel plant in the country’s central coast which caused massive death of fisheries in April 2016.
Before the trial of Binh, Human Rights Watch called on Vietnam to release him immediately and unconditionally. After the trial, the governments of the US and Germany criticized the Vietnamese government for using controversial articles in the Penal Code to imprison the activist whose activities aim to protect the country’s environment and assist Formosa-affected fishermen.
Three days later, Vietnam imprisoned five religious activists in An Giang, giving them a total of 20 years in prison. Hoa Hao Buddhist followers Bui Van Trung and his Bui Van Tham and three others have been jailed just for exercising their right of freedom of religion enshrined in the country’s 2013 Constitution as the government continues its persecution against unsanctioned religious minority groups.
On February 8, police in Dong Nai province freed former prisoner of conscience Doan Van Dien after keeping him six days in detention without issuing arrest warrant. Police still maintain close surveillance of him and hunt for his son Doan Huy Chuong, who is active in assisting workers in demanding for higher salaries and better working conditions.
Authorities in the northern province of Thai Nguyen have arrested anti-corruption blogger Nguyen Van Truong, 41, on allegation of “abusing democratic freedom” under Article 331 of the 2015 Penal Code. His arrest shows that Vietnam’s communist government has no willingness to deal with the country’s systemic corruption.
===== February 5 =====
Dong Nai Police Re-arrest Former Prisoner of Conscience Doan Van Dien and Seek for His Son Doan Huy Chuong
Defend the Defenders: Police in Vietnam’s southern province of Dong Nai took former prisoner of conscience Doan Van Dien in custody on February 3, four days after releasing him, his son Doan Huy Chuong informed Defend the Defenders.
Freed on January 30 after 38 days of illegal detention by Dong Nai police, Mr. Dien returned back to his private residence in the Central Highlands. His family couldn’t contact him so they sought for him until learned that he was re-arrested by Dong Nai police.
Dong Nai police verbally told his oldest son Doan Van Tam that they “invited” him to police station to work on national security matters. No arrest warrant was issued, like the previous detention between December 24 last year to late January this year.
Dong Nai police have also sought for Chuong, a former prisoner of conscience and vice president of the unsanctioned Viet Labor Movement. They requested the family to tell them the location of Chuong who has been forced to hide to avoid being arrested after police detained his father last year.
Mr. Chuong, who spent a total of eight years and six months in prison for his union activities, told Defend the Defenders that the detention of his father is a ploy of Dong Nai police in a bid to force him to show up so they can arrest him.
On January 30, before releasing the father, police interrogated Tam about his younger brother Chuong, requesting him to provide a telephone number and the location of Chuong.
Chuong’s activities aiming to help workers, especially in foreign-invested companies to fight for higher salaries and better working conditions are the reason Vietnam’s authorities want to arrest him.
Prioritizing higher gross domestic product (GDP), Vietnam’s government has supported companies, including foreign-invested ones, but ignored environmental pollution and workers’ lives. According to state media, the average income of Vietnamese workers is ten times lower that the ASEAN average workers’ salary.
Since being released in February 2017, Chuong has continued working for workers’ rights. He is one of the most active figures of the Viet Labor Movement.
Hoang Duc Binh, also vice president of the unsanctioned union organization, was arrested in mid May last year by police in the central province of Nghe An. His trial is held on February 6 on allegations of “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” under Article 330 and “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens” under Article 331 of the country’s 2015 Penal Code.
===== February 6 =====
Vietnamese Labor Activist, Environmentalist Hoang Duc Binh Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison
Defend the Defenders: On February 6, the People’s Court of Dien Chau district, Nghe An province sentenced environmentalist and labor activist Hoang Duc Binh to 14 years in prison in a move to halt his activism which aims to protect workers’ rights and protest the Taiwanese Formosa steel plant blamed for the environmental disaster in the central coastal region in 2016.
During the one-day trial, the court found Binh guilty of “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” under Article 330 and “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens” under Article 331 of the country’s 2015 Penal Code.
The court also sentenced Nguyen Nam Phong, the driver of Catholic priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc, to two years in prison for allegation of “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties.”
Only the parents of Binh and the wife of Phong were allowed to enter the courtroom. Younger brothers of Binh and other relatives were detained when they were on their way to the court’s areas. Police brutally beat them and took them in custody where they were tortured and robbed before being released in late afternoon.
Authorities in Nghe An deployed a large number of police and militia to block all the roads to the court in Vinh city.
A group of four activists from Hanoi went to Vinh to support Binh and Phong, however, police detained them when they arrived in the city, beating them and deporting them back to Hanoi.
On May 15, 2017, authorities in Nghe An kidnapped Mr. Binh when he escorted Catholic priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc from the Song Ngoc parish in Dien Chau district to Vinh city. Their car was stopped by police in Dien Chau district’s center and police violently removed Binh from the car. Later, police publicized an arrest order of Binh issued by the province’s People’s Procuracy two days earlier.
On November 28, 2017, police in Nghe An also arrested Nguyen Nam Phong, the driver, and accused him of “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” under Article 330 as he denied police’s orders to open his car doors to allow them arrest Binh.
Binh is a vice president of the unsanctioned Viet Labor Movement.
Along with working to promote rights of workers, Binh is a well-known blogger who has covered news on the Formosa-causing environmental disaster in the central coastal region. He also assisted affected fishermen in seeking justice in the case by requesting the Taiwanese firm pay adequate compensation and take proper measures to clean the environment in the central coast.
In the press release of the Viet Labor Movement on his detention, the organization said the arrest aims to neutralize him because he has effectively assisted regional Catholic priests in helping thousands of victims of the environmental catastrophes caused by the Taiwanese Formosa steel plant and Ho Ho hydropower plant.
The Taiwanese Formosa steel plant illegally discharged a huge amount of industrial waste into waters in the central coast, causing massive death of fisheries in April 2016.
Instead of asking the foreign investor to take measures to clean the water and compensate adequately for local fishermen, Vietnam’s government has suppressed the local Catholic community which strongly protested the Taiwanese firm.
Authorities from Dien Chau district and Nghe An province deployed thousands of police officers, militia and thugs to attack Catholic followers when they were on their way to Ha Tinh province to challenge the Taiwanese company, causing severe injuries for hundreds of people, including priest Dang Huu Nam.
The arrest and trial of Mr. Binh are part of Vietnam’s ongoing intensified crackdown on local activists which began from early 2016 when the new communist leadership was formed with many police generals being appointed in key posts gained power after the ruling communist party’s National Congress in January.
Last year, Vietnam arrested at least 45 activists and convicted 19 ones, giving them hard sentences of between three and 16 years, mostly on allegations in the national security provisions in the Penal Code.
Among convicted are human rights defenders and environmentalists Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Tran Thuy Nga and blogger Nguyen Van Hoa.
Vietnam is holding around 180 prisoners of conscience, according to Defend the Defenders’ counting.
===== February 8 =====
Former Prisoner of Conscience Doan Van Dien Released after Six Days of Illegal Detention
Defend the Defenders: Former prisoner of conscience Doan Van Dien has been released after being illegally kept in detention by Dong Nai police for second time within few months, his family informed Defend the Defenders.
Mr. Dien, father of former prisoner of conscience Doan Huy Chuong, was re-arrested by Dong Nai police on February 3 and freed on February 8, the son said.
However, Mr. Dien, who spent four and half years in prison for his social activities, has still been under close surveillance of Dong Nai police, Chuong said, adding he has yet to contact his father due to security concerns.
This is the second illegal detention of Mr. Dien by Dong Nai police. In the first detention, he was held in custody from December 24 last year until January 30 this year.
The main purpose of the two arbitrary detentions is to force Chuong to show up so police can arrest him.
Chuong, who spent a total of eight years and six months in prison for his independent union activities, is targeted by Dong Nai police. Currently, Chuong is a vice president of the unsanctioned Viet Labor Movement which strives to assist workers in requesting higher salaries and better working conditions.
===== February 9 =====
Five Religious Activists in Southern Vietnam Jailed with Total 22 Years
Defend the Defenders: On February 9, the People’s Court of Vietnam’s southern province of An Giang convicted six followers of Hoa Hao Buddhist sect for their activities which aimed to fight for religious freedom.
Bui Van Tham was convicted of “causing public disorders” under Article 245 and “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties” under Article 257 while Bui Van Trung, Nguyen Hoang Nam, Bui Thi Bich Tuyen, Le Hong Hanh and Le Thi Hen were alleged with “causing public disorders” under Article 245 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code.
Bui Van Tham and Bui Thi Bich Tuyen are children of Mr. Bui Van Tham and Mrs. Le Thi Hien while Nguyen Hoang Nam is the couple’s son-in-law.
The court gave them a total of 20 years in prison and two years under probation. Particularly, the court sentenced Bui Van Trung and his son Bui Van Tham to six years each, Nguyen Hoang Nam to four years, and Bui Thi Bich Tuyen and Le Hong Hanh to three years in prison each while Le Thi Hen was given two years under probation.
The religious activists were arrested in late June last year, two months after they protested persecution of local authorities who sent police and thugs to block the private residence of Bui Van Trung in late April, not allowing other independent followers to gather in his house in An Phu district to attend the anniversary commemoration of Bui Van Trung’s mother’s death.
Trung and sentenced activists are independent Hoa Hao Buddhist sect who refused to practice their religion under the control of the state.
The arrests and convictions of the six activists are part of Vietnam’s crackdown on independent religious groups, including Hoa Hao and Cao Dai Buddhist sects in southern Vietnam.
On February 8, Human Rights Watch issued a statement calling on Vietnam’s government to drop charges against the group and release them immediately and unconditionally.
“This appears to be the latest instance of official persecution of members of this religion,” said Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “The government should stop harassing and arresting those who belong to unsanctioned religious groups and leave people to practice their faith as they see fit,” he said.
===== February 10 =====
Anti-corruption Blogger Arrested, Charged with Abusing Democratic Freedom
Defend the Defenders: Authorities in Vietnam’s northern province of Thai Nguyen have arrested anti-corruption blogger Nguyen Van Truong on allegation of “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens” under Article 331 of the country’s 2015 Penal Code.
According to state media, Chuong had abused the right of denunciation, producing many video clips and a number of articles to defame state officials, and posting them on social networks, including his Facebook account.
The subjects of his posts were police and procuracy officials in Thai Nguyen and the central agencies, media said.
Truong will be held incommunicado for the next four months for investigation. He will face imprisonment of up to seven years, according to the current Vietnam’s law.
He has been the second activist detained so far this year. In early January, Vietnam arrested pro-democracy activist Vu Van Hung on allegation of “causing public disorders” but later changed it into “Inflicting injuries.”
In order to keep the country under a one-party regime, the communist government has little tolerance for its critics. Last year, Vietnam arrested at least 45 activists and convicted nearly 20 with heavy sentences of between three and 16 years in jail.
=================