Amnesty
International calls for Viet Nam to release 13 activists jailed on baseless
charges
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
9 January 2013
The conviction and heavy sentencing of 13 peaceful Catholic activists in Viet
Nam today flies in the face of justice and is part of an escalating government
crackdown on freedom of expression, Amnesty International said.
A court in Nghe An province today sentenced the 13 activists to between three
and 13 years’ imprisonment on charges of undertaking “activities aimed at
overthrowing” the government. One other activist was given a suspended sentence.
“We urge the Vietnamese authorities to release the activists immediately and
unconditionally,” said Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International’s Researcher on Viet
Nam.
“To misconstrue the activities of the activists as trying to overthrow the
government is baseless – they have been imprisoned only for exercising their
right to freedom of expression.”
The 14 activists who stood trial – 12 men and two women – were first arrested in
mid-2011 on suspicion of ties to the US-based political party Viet Tan, a group
calling for peaceful political reform in Viet Nam, which the Vietnamese
government has labelled as terrorist.
Among the activists are students, bloggers, community workers and supporters of
prisoner of conscience Cu Huy Ha Vu, who was imprisoned in April 2011 for
allegedly “spreading anti-state propaganda” after calling for a multi-party
system in online articles.
“Last year saw the Vietnamese government step up its crackdown on government
critics and peaceful activists,” said Abbott.
“The convictions of the 14 activists illustrate a deeply worrying trend, and
suggest that the crackdown is set to continue in 2013,” he said.