VIETNAM: Crackdown on leading pro-democracy activists and writers continues.

 

 

International P.E.N. Writers in prison Committee

RAPID ACTION NETWORK

07 March 2007 Update #1 to RAN 12/07

  

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is seriously concerned about the detention of lawyers and internet writers Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan (f), who were reportedly arrested on 6 March 2007 for their critical writings and dissident activities. PEN is alarmed about an apparent crackdown on leading pro-democracy figures in recent weeks, including Father Nguyen Van Ly, who has been held under house arrest since 19 February 2007. Editor Nguyen Van Ly and lawyers and Internet writers Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan (f) are thought to be accused of ‘hostile propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’ under Article 88 of the Criminal Code. PEN fears that all three are held solely for peacefully exercising their right to free expression, and if so calls for their immediate and unconditional release in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Vietnam is a signatory.  

According to PEN’s information, Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan (f) were arrested at their homes on the morning of the 6 March 2007. They, along with Father Nguyen Van Ly, are believed to be accused of ‘hostile propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’ for their dissident activities with the pro-democracy movement ‘’Bloc 8406’’, including the recent signing of a petition under their real names. Under Article 88 of the Criminal Code, Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan could be detained for up to sixteen months before their trial comes to court, and if convicted could face up to twenty years in jail.

Nguyen Van Dai is one of the leaders of the democracy movement ‘’Bloc 8406’’ and regularly posts pro-democracy essays on foreign websites. He started a web-log on the Reporters Sans Frontiers web-log platform shortly before his arrest (http://nguyenvandai.rsfblog.org). He and fellow lawyer Le Thi Cong Nhan (f) have been under heavy surveillance for some time for their

dissident activities, and were briefly detained on 3 February 2007 and held for 48 hours. Nguyen Van Dai was reportedly subjected to criticism by a ‘popular court’ on 8 February 2007, in which 200 residents from a district of Hanoi were mobilised by the authorities to insult and denounce him for being a ‘traitor’.

Father Nguyen Van Ly, a Catholic priest and co-editor of the underground online magazine Tu do Ngôn luan (Free Speech), was arrested on 19 February 2007 during an "administrative check" at the archdiocesan building where he lives in the city of Hue. Two other editors of Tu do Ngôn luan, Father Chan Tin and Father Phan Van Loi, were reportedly also placed under house arrest. Father Nguyen Van Ly was transferred to the Ben Cui parish building in Phong Xuan, some distance from his home in the central city of Hue, on 24 February 2007, where he continues to be held under house arrest.

PEN also remains seriously concerned about the well-fare of lawyer and Internet writer Bui Kim Thanh (f), who has been held in psychiatric detention since 3 November 2007.

Please send appeals:

Protesting the detention of pro-democracy activists and Internet writers Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan (f);

Expressing deep concern about an apparent crackdown on leading pro-democracy activists and writers for their peaceful dissident activities;

Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all writers held in Vietnam in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Vietnam is a signatory.

 

 

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