Vietnam
sentences 6 villagers for anti-government activities
Pravda.RU
18.11. 2005
A Vietnamese court
has sentenced six ethnic minority Montagnards to prison terms of up to 17 years
for anti-government activities including organizing protests demanding religious
freedom and human rights, the official news agency reported Friday. The
villagers from the Central Highlands were handed sentences ranging from seven
years to 17 years at a court in Daklak province Thursday after being convicted
of violating the country's national unity and causing public disorder, the
Vietnam News Agency said.
The men, who were from the Krong Ana district and the provincial capital Buon Ma
Thuot, were accused of various activities against the government, including
inciting local residents to hold protests in 2004 calling for religious freedom
and human rights, VNA said.
The men were identified as Y. Kur BDap, Y. Ang Knul, Y. Ruih E. Ban, Y. Yoan
HMok, Y. Mun Nie Hrah and Ksor Senat.
After completing their jail sentences, the men will be placed under an
additional five years of surveillance, the agency said.
During Easter 2004, thousands of villagers,most of whom are Protestant, mounted
mass demonstrations in the provincial capitals of Daklak and Gia Lai provinces,
pressing for land rights and religious freedoms.
Following a military crackdown, thousands of Montagnards fled to neighboring
Cambodia and hundreds have been given political asylum in the United States.
Dozens of the villagers have been given hefty prison terms in connection with
the protests or for organizing an exodus of refugees to Cambodia.
Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department again placed Vietnam on its list
of the world's worst violators of religious freedom. It is the second year in a
row that Vietnam has been listed in the category of "countries of particular
concern" ,which allows the U.S. the option of imposing sanctions.
Human rights groups have accused Vietnam of repressing religious rights,
including forcing Montagnards to renounce their Christian faith and persecuting
others who returned to Vietnam after fleeing to Cambodia, reports the AP.