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Reactions to the Release of Prisoners of Conscience
Still time to free more prisoners of conscience for Tet holiday
Index on Censorship – UK / 08.02.2005 By David Mutton. The inclusion of a number of prisoners of conscience in the list of amnesties traditionally announced to mark Vietnam’s Tet holiday on Wednesday, has raised hopes that the state will free more in the hours leading up to the official start of the lunar new year.
For the first time
in years Vietnam’s government have included political prisoners in its
traditional list of amnesties granted ahead of the Tet holiday – the lunar New
Year. As Vietnam prepares itself on the eve of the holiday, there is still time
to add more names to the list of the freed.
Sen. Brownback Commends Release of Vietnamese Dissidents
Thursday, February 03, 2005 By Logan C. Adams - Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., applauded the announcement Monday that the Vietnamese government will soon release two human rights activists.
Washington, D.C. - Scripps
Howard Foundation Wire - The government said Father Thadeus Nguyen Ly and Dr.
Nguyen Dan Que will be among 8,000 prisoners released to mark Tet, the
celebration of the lunar New Year that will occur next week.
Cyberdissident Nguyen Dan Que and journalist Nguyen Dinh Huy released
Reporters Without Borders 3 February 2005 Reporters Without Borders welcomed the release from prison on 2 February of Dr Nguyen Dan Que and journalist Nguyen Dinh Huy, aged 73. The organisation said it hoped the two would be able to resume a normal life free of police surveillance and harassment. It also pointed out that three other dissidents - Nguyen Vu Binh, Pham Hong Son and Nguyen Khac Toan - were still behind bars simply for having posted articles online critical of the government. "In less than eight months, the Vietnamese authorities have released four of the seven jailed cyberdissidents as well as the last journalist imprisoned. However, at the same time they brutally cracked down on a section of the online press because it was reflecting popular discontent. "It is therefore not yet possible to see these releases as a sign of a softening of the regime towards free expression," it said. Nguyen Dan Que, held in Prison n°5 in Thanh Hoa Province about 200 kilometres south of Hanoi, arrived back home in Ho Chi Minh City the following day while Dinh Huy returned to the same city accompanied by his family. Dan Que had been arrested at his home on 17 March 2003. A committed free expression campaigner, he had already spent more than 18 years in prison between 1980 and 1998. Shortly before his imprisonment he had released a statement in which he condemned the lack of press freedom in the country. He was sentenced on 29 July 2004, to 30 months in prison by a court in Ho Chi Minh City. He was denied the right to legal representation. Dinh Huy was arrested on 17 November 1993, after asking permission to hold a conference on democracy in Ho Chi Minh City. In April 1995, he was sentenced to 15 years for attempting to "overthrow the people's government". He was imprisoned at Ham Tan camp, around 100 kms north-east of Ho Chi Minh City. Cyberdissidents Pham Que Duong and Tran Khue were released respectively on 29 and 30 July 2004. Le Chi Quang was freed from jail on 14 June. Two cyberdissidents and one former journalist remain in prison Businessman Nguyen Khac Toan, a former army officer, was arrested on 8 January 2002, in a Hanoi cybercafé. He was accused of emailing information to Vietnamese human rights organisations in exile, seen by the government as "reactionary". Found guilty of espionage, he was sentenced, on 20 December 2002, to 12 years in prison and three years under house arrest. For several months he has been refused the right to leave his cell, as punishment for making "insolent" remarks. Nguyen Vu Binh, former journalist on an official Vietnamese Communist party publication Tap Chi Cong San (Communist Reviews), was arrested on 25 September 2002. He was chiefly accused of posting articles online of a "reactionary nature", in particular an essay entitled, "Reflection on the Sino-Vietnamese border accords" in which he criticised a treaty concluded between China and Vietnam in 1999. He was sentenced on 31 December 2003 to seven years in prison and three years house arrest. The sentence was confirmed on appeal on 5 May 2004. Pham Hong Son, a doctor and head of a pharmaceutical firm, was imprisoned on 27 March 2002 for having translated and posted online an article headlined, "What is democracy ?", taken from web pages on the site of the US embassy in Vietnam. Previously, he had written several articles promoting democracy and human rights, posted on Vietnamese discussion forums. In June 2003 a people's court in Hanoi sentenced him to 13 years in prison for "espionage" and three years house arrest. His sentence was reduced on appeal on 26 August 2003, to five years imprisonment and three years house arrest. He is suffering from a hernia in the groin which could be life-threatening in the absence of an operation. He has not been receiving any treatment and he was transferred in September 2004, to a detention centre far from Hanoi, where his family lives. Over 15 years ago, Reporters without Borders created its "Sponsorship Programme" and called upon the international media to select and support an imprisoned journalist. More than two hundreds news staffs around the globe are thus sponsoring colleagues by regularly petitioning authorities for their release and by publicising their situations so that their cases will not be forgotten. Currently, Nguyen Dinh Huy is sponsored by La Manche libre, le Club de la presse de Bordeaux, Le Devoir, Charlie Hebdo, Le Matin, RFI, Verbottenswuriren, Maison de la presse de Liège, Fun Radio (Belgique), El País, RTVE, Europa Press, Grupo Arbol
PEN receives reports of writers freed
Vietnam - 02
FEB 2005 (WiPC/IFEX) - According to information received by International PEN's WiPC, Vietnamese writers Nguyen Dan Que, Nguyen Van Ly and Nguyen Dinh Huy have left their internment camps. The three men were reported to have been granted amnesty on the occasion of the Vietnamese new year. According to reports, Nguyen Van Ly has gone to Hue, and Nguyen Dinh Huy and Nguyen Dan Que have gone to Ho Chi Minh City. PEN is investigating whether there are any restrictions on the men. While International PEN welcomes the release of Nguyen Dan Que, Nguyen Van Ly and Nguyen Dinh Huy, the organisation remains concerned about nine other writers who have been denied amnesty, and calls for their release. BACKGROUND: Nguyen Dan Que is a writer and the publisher of the underground magazine "Tuong Lai" ("The Future"). He was arrested on 17 March 2003 and sentenced on 29 July 2004 to 30 months' imprisonment. Nguyen Dan Que's arrest followed the 13 March 2003 online publication of his essay, "Communiqué on Freedom of Information in Vietnam", in which he criticised the Vietnamese authorities' reluctance to implement political reforms and to lift controls on the media. Nguyen Dan Que has spent a total of 18 years in prison for his political activism. Nguyen Van Ly is a priest, scholar and essayist. He was arrested on 17 May 2001 and sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment and five years' probationary detention. Nguyen Van Ly was detained for a testimony entitled "Violations of Human Rights in Vietnam", which was posted on the Internet. He also wrote to the United States Congress in March 2001, urging legislators not to ratify a bilateral trade agreement until Hanoi eased restrictions on religious freedoms. Nguyen Van Ly was previously detained in labour camps from 1977 to 1978 and from 1983 to 1992 for peacefully exercising his right to free expression and freedom of religion. Nguyen Dinh Huy is a former newspaper editor and leading figure in the "Movement for National Unity and Building Democracy", a pro-democracy movement. Huy was arrested on 17 November 1993 for planning an "illegal" meeting and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Nguyen Dinh Huy was previously detained for 17 years in a "re-education camp". He established the "Movement for National Unity and Building Democracy" six months after his release in 1992. He was the recipient of the 1997 Hellmann/Hammett award for free expression. RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to authorities: APPEALS TO: His
Excellency Tran Duc Luong Prime
Minister Phan Van Khai Pham
Quang Nghi Please note that there are no fax numbers available for the Vietnamese authorities, so you may wish to ask the diplomatic representative for Vietnam in your country to forward your appeals. Please copy appeals to the diplomatic representative for Vietnam in your country, and to the source if possible.
US asks Vietnam to allow soon-to-be-released dissidents real freedom
The United States urged Vietnam to allow several political and religious prisoners who are set to be released soon to express their views and practise their religion freely. The dissidents, sentenced for "violating national security," are to be released as part of an amnesty of 8,325 prisoners to mark the lunar new year starting on February 8, the Vietnamese government announced Monday. Among them are Catholic priest Father Nguyen Van Ly, 59, and political dissident Nguyen Dan Que, 63. "The United States welcomes the planned release of these prisoners of conscience and urges the Government of Vietnam to permit these and other individuals to express their political views freely and to practice religion peacefully in an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. Father Ly was sentenced in October 2001 to 15 years in prison and to five years after that of house arrest. He was convicted of sabotage for sending a letter to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. His sentence was reduced to 10 years in 2003 and then to five in June 2004, amid criticism of Hanoi's treatment of religious dissidents. Internet dissident and democracy advocate Nguyen Dan Que was given a 30-month jail term in July 2004 for "abusing his democratic rights". Sam Brownback, a US Senator who visited Father Ly at the Ba Sao Prison north of Hanoi during a trip to Vietnam in January 2004, also welcomed the planned release of Ly and Nguyen Dan Que. "They are two of the highest profile political prisoners in Vietnam, said Brownback, who recently wrote to the Vietnamese government requesting amnesty for the duo. The communist government of Vietnam keeps an iron grip on the press and often stifles dissent with long prison sentences. "I hope this provides an opportunity for us to work towards future discussions on human rights," Brownback said. "While there remain many innocent political prisoners behind bars in Vietnam, this is a positive gesture by the Vietnamese government."
Vietnam Should Let Political Figures Express Views, U.S. Says
Feb. 1 (Bloomberg) Vietnam should allow political and religious figures to express their views, the U.S. State Department said after Vietnam announced an amnesty for prisoners. ``The United States welcomes the planned released of these prisoners of conscience,'' the State Department said in an e- mailed statement yesterday from Washington. The U.S. ``urges the government of Vietnam to permit these and other individuals to express their political views freely and to practice religion peacefully in an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect.'' Vietnam yesterday announced an amnesty for 8,325 prisoners, including six sentenced for violating national security, Agence France-Presse reported from Hanoi, citing presidential spokesman Nguyen Van Bich. Five activists for human rights and religious freedom are among those to be freed, the State Department said. The U.S. last year designated Vietnam as one of eight countries that most deprive their citizens of religious freedom. The Vietnamese government protested the decision, saying it was based on ``erroneous information.'' Vietnam holds at least 44 religious prisoners and detainees, with at least 11 others detained in conditions resembling house arrest for reasons related to the expression of religious beliefs, the U.S. government has said. The prisoners to be freed include Nguyen Van Ly, also known as Father Ly, the State Department said in its statement. He was sentenced in 2001 to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years under house arrest after being convicted of state sabotage for sending a letter to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, AFP said. ``The amnesty reflects the lenient and humanitarian policy of the Vietnamese state towards prisoners with good re- education,'' AFP cited the presidential spokesman as saying. The prisoners will be freed before New Year starting Feb. 8, he said. Economic Sanctions Under the 1998 U.S. International Religious Freedom Act, countries named as those ``of particular concern'' face actions that may include economic sanctions. The U.S. State Department in September added Vietnam to the list, citing worsening conditions for groups including minority Protestants. Several thousand Protestants in Vietnam's Central Highlands demonstrated in April last year in support of religious freedom, and ``authorities reportedly suppressed the protests, beating or killing some of the protesters,'' the State Department said at the time. Vietnam and the U.S. opened diplomatic relations in 1995, two decades after the end of the civil war between the Communist- controlled north and the U.S.-backed south. Since then, economic relations have blossomed, with Vietnam moving onto the list of the top 40 U.S. trading partners.
Human Rights Defender Freed in Vietnam
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights February 2, 2005
Contact: Erik Manuel Giblin (202) 463-7575 x 226 or giblin@rfkmemorial.org, Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights. The 1995 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Laureate Dr. Nguyen Dan Que was released on Monday. The RFK Memorial lauds the Vietnamese government for this positive step, “We are relieved that the Government of Vietnam has released Dr. Que,” said Todd Howland, Director of the RFK Center for Human Rights. “We see this as an important step toward greater respect for human rights and freedom of expression in Vietnam and we’re especially pleased that Dr. Que and his family will finally be united.” Dr. Que is scheduled to arrive at his home in Ho Chi Minh City this Thursday, after having been released from a remote prison in Thanh Hoa province on January 31 as part of the Tet (Lunar New Year) Amnesty that has included the release of over 8000 prisoners. The Center worked with Dr. Que’s family, friends, allies, and civil society partners, as well as officials in the United States Government, fellow nations and international governing bodies in calling for his release. Dr Que was detained on March 17, 2003 for sending an email message three days earlier criticizing the Vietnamese Government and was sentenced to 30 months in prison on July 29, 2004 for allegedly abusing “democratic freedom to infringe upon the interest of the State.” Continued progress in Vietnam with respect to human rights will help this country of 80 million further its development as a partner among nations. Director Todd Howland stated, “We believe that greater political space for freedom will substantially enhance Vietnam’s ongoing integration into the international community as well as highlight social responsibility among this nation’s chief corporate investors.” The Center will continue to work closely with Dr. Que and support his work for greater freedom of expression. The Center encourages the Vietnamese government to continue its progress in human rights, specifically by ensuring that all defendants in Vietnam are given their rights to counsel, a fair and open trial and visitation and guaranteeing that all its citizens enjoy the right to freedom of expression, a right enshrined in the Vietnamese Constitution and protected under international human rights law, to which Vietnam has a treaty obligation to follow. Doctor Nguyen Dan Que, Founder of the Nonviolent Movement for Human Rights, has dedicated his life to advocating for improvements in democracy and human rights in Vietnam. In November of 1995, the Center for Human Rights presented Dr. Que with the RFK Human Rights Award for his bravery in continually advocating, at great personal risk, for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Vietnamese people. Dr. Que has also received international recognition for his heroic efforts as a human rights advocate and writer, earning the 1993 Raoul Wallenberg Human Rights Award and several nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 2004. In 2002, Human Rights Watch honored Dr. Que with a Hellman-Hammett Grant, an international award for writers who have been victims of political persecution, for his founding of “The Future,” a human rights review that began circulating in 2000 secretly in Vietnam and openly around the world. Most recently, Dr. Que was awarded The Northcote Parkinson Fund 2004 Certificate for Distinction in Civil Courage, the Vietnam Human Rights Network 2004 Vietnam Human Rights Prize and the New York Academy of Sciences 2004 Heinz R. Pagels Human Rights of Scientists Award. Founded in 1968, the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial works to realize Robert F. Kennedy’s vision of social justice. In 1984, the Memorial established the Center for Human Rights (CHR) and the Human Rights Award to enhance the global nature of RFK’s work and directly support defenders, known as laureates, around the world. The CHR strives to enhance the capacity of its laureates by helping marshal the resources necessary for them to increase the impact of their efforts and share the lessons of their endeavors with the international community. There are currently 35 RFK Human Rights Award laureates working in 20 countries around the world. For additional information, please visit www.rfkmemorial.org.
U.S. Says Amnesty for Vietnamese Political Prisoners Welcome
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
STATE
Following is the full text
of the statement:
Allen Praises Release of Human Rights Activist in Vietnam
January 31, 2005 -Commends Que's Non-Violent Fight for Democracy and Denounces his Political Imprisonment- WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator George Allen (R-VA) today made the following statement on the release of human rights activist Dr. Nguyen Dan Que from prison in Vietnam: "I am heartened to learn of the release of political prisoners in Vietnam like Dr. Que who was imprisoned for the so-called crime of 'abusing democratic rights to infringe upon the interests of the State'. "While I am glad the government of Vietnam has chosen to free Dr. Que as a part of the Tet Amnesty, it is imperative that we not forget that he never should have been imprisoned in the first place. "His family, both in Vietnam and in Virginia, has every reason to be proud of this strong and principled man. Dr. Que has been a voice for justice and human rights in Vietnam and his non-violent efforts to expose the abuses of the Vietnam government should be applauded by freedom loving people around the world," said Senator Allen. Senator Allen has long been involved in efforts to secure Dr. Que's release from prison. He has secured meetings with Vietnam's Ambassador to the U.S. to advocate for this release and has nominated Dr. Que for the Nobel Peace Prize for the last 3 consecutive years. In addition, Senator Allen helped arrange meetings between Dr. Que's brother, who lives in Virginia, with the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam to discuss issues surrounding Que's incarceration. Senator Allen hopes to meet or speak with Dr. Que and his family in the near future. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: John Reid Director of Communications (202) 224-4746
Amnesty International - Freedom for elderly prisoners of conscience in Viet Nam
Mon, 31 Jan
2005
Vietnam Human Rights Network
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