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VIET NAM: MEMBER OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL &
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION 2014
Authors: Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, Catholic Priest Phan Van Loi, Ven. Thich Khong Tanh,
Pham Ba Hai (MBE), Lawyer Nguyen Van Dai, Pham Chi Dung (Ph.D.)
Translation by Trang Thien Long,
Vu Quoc Ngu, Le Anh Hung.
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cuutunhanluongtam
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Table of Contents ****************** ...... 2 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION...... 3 CHAPTER 2: HARASSMENT ...... 4 1. Banning foreign travel and confiscating passport ...... 4 2. Prohibiting leaving residence, not allowing temporary lodging, preventing from meeting ...... 5 3. Police attack activists with bricks, stones, and rank liquid ...... 8 CHAPTER 3: BEATING, DETAINING, TORTURING ...... 9 1. Brutal Attacks against activists, dissidents ...... 9 2. Pre-trial detention to dissidents and human rights defenders ...... 15 3. Trialing Unfairly ...... 17 4. Torturing, beating prisoners, suspects and law breakers ...... 21 5. Sentencing wrong and causing controversial deaths in temporary detention for investigation ...... 24 6. Suppression and Harassment of Prisoners of Conscience ...... 26 CHAPTER 4: SUPPRESSION OF INDEPENDENT RELIGION ORGANIZATIONS . 31 1. Prohibition of worship and gathering ...... 31 2. Beating religious clerks, monks and believers...... 33 3. Demolition of religious facilities ...... 35 CHAPTER 5: CURRENT NUMBER OF PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE ...... 36 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION ...... 40 APPENDIX ...... 41
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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
On the morning of Nov 12, 2013, the General Assembly elected 14 members in addition to the UN Human Rights Council. Vietnam received 184 of the 192 votes in favor, the highest votes among 14 candidates. State sponsored media ran the headline referred to human rights achievements recognized by the international community.
In an interview with Tuoi Tre, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh said: "In the spirit of promoting international integration extensively and comprehensively in three coming years, as a member of the Human Rights Council, Vietnam will actively participate and contribute to the work of the General Assembly, following closely the sticking point, the consistent policy of the Communist Party and State about Human Rights and the major orientation of the foreign policy, as well as implementing fully the obligations and commitments of a member of Human Rights Council and the U.N."
June 2014, the Vietnam government delegation announced the support of 182 out of 227 recommendations of the countries. Among the supported recommendations, the worth attention is commitment to ensure space for civil society organizations, NGOs, human rights defenders, bringing the law on demonstration and of association in accordance with international standards on the civil and political rights.
Whole one year passed, the declaration and the international commitments of the Vietnam government have become completely contrary by human rights violations that Former Prisoners of Conscience researched in this report.
By using quantitative and qualitative research method together, the report (47 pages long A4, font size 10, Arial font) looks into the cases of human rights abuses during nine years (2006 -2014). Focus in 2014, we had directly met, interviewed via the Internet (email, skype), telephone with more 200 victims of human rights abuses. The number of cases is collected from the international media (RFA, BBC, VOA, RFI, etc.), the independent news websites (Vietnam Redemptorists News, Defend the Defenders, Dan Luan, Dan Lam Bao ...), radio stations (Dap Loi Song Nui, Chan Troi Moi, STBN) and the state-run websites (Tuoi Tre, Phap Luat TpHCM, Than Nien, Nguoi Lao Dong, etc.). The reports and press releases of the international human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, Amnesty International, Committee to Protect Journalists, etc. are also a source of additional information.
There are three statistical graphs to clarify the trends and characteristics of the human rights crackdown. The forms of violation (in chapters, items) are also presented in contrast with the recommendations approved by Vietnam in the universal periodic review of 2014.
The PoC graph 2006-2014 shows two minimal positions in 2009 and 2013 with 14 and 11 victims arrested. These low points are the times Vietnam joining the universal periodic review, so the government reduced the number arrested. Upon completion UPR 2009, they increased arrests 23-
46-47 in the following year.
In 2013, Vietnam was the only candidate in Southeast Asia for the UN Human Rights Council and supported by the ASEAN countries. Again they
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changed tactic by reducing the number to 11 arrests. Once elected to the Human Rights Council 2014-2016, they turned to arrest 45 human rights
defenders and dissidents.
The graph of Penal Articles to PoC 2006-2014 shows that Article 88 "propaganda against the state" is applied most often with 68 arrests, despite having a decrease for last three years. Article 79 "overthrowing the state" is always shown as the main weapon to crush any forces to be opposition to the Communist Party. Notably, Article 245 "disturbing public order" spiked from 2 up to 18 victims in 2014, including the arrest of Bui Thi Minh Hang in Dong Thap province. Article 257 "against persons implementing duty" plays as jailers to land petitioners with 13 arrested.
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CHAPTER 2: HARASSMENT
In Vietnam, anyone who stepped into the path of protecting human rights is often first subjected to lawless, violent and despicable harassment in different forms.
Recommendation 144. Further implement measures aimed at promoting freedom of expression and association and freedom of the media in line with the most advanced international standards (Italy);
1. Banning foreign travel and confiscating passport Recommendation 148. Allow bloggers, journalists, other internet users and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to promote and protect human rights specifically by ensuring that laws concerning the Internet comply with the freedom of expression and information (Netherlands);
1.1 Blogger Nguyen Ho Nhat Thanh was banned exit on Jan 15, 2014 with the reason “national security”. He intended to join the human rights hearings in the US Congress and State of Department. 1.2 On Jan 2, 2014 at Tan Son Nhat airport, Dr. Pham Chi Dung was prevented and confiscated his passports when he was going to leave for a seminar on human rights held in Geneva, Switzerland as a speaker at the invitation of the UN Watch. The UN Watch, a nongovernmental organization in Switzerland, has the function to monitor the human rights and democracy. 1.3 Correspondent Anna Huyen Trang (Vietnam Redemptorists News) was blocked at Tan Son Nhat airport at 9:30 pm on April 13. At 11:30 pm, three security men beat, doing chokehold and pulled her out to the lobby in the front of her friends.
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1.4 Blogger Nguyen Thanh Thuy, PoC Nguyen Xuan Nghia’s son, banned from leaving to resettle in the US on April 15, 2014. Airport security seized his passport and ordered him to return to Haiphong city for more details. 1.5 On May 6 at 11.30 pm, two citizens Le Phuc Hiep and Dinh Xuan Thi were prohibited from exit when they prepared to board the flight to Philippines for English course. Then plainclothes security men without name card interrogated him nearly 3 hours.
Le Phuc Hiep retold the incident: "The reason they wrote in the minutes that the passport was seized at the request of the General Department VI - Ministry of Public Security. My trip with Thi to Manila, Philippines is for English."
1.6 At the invitation of the Embassy of Sweden in Hanoi to attend a workshop on the Internet (Stockholm Internet Forum - SIF 2014), blogger Nguyen Chi Tuyen (Anh Chi) was ready to leave on May 24, 2014. But at 10.35 pm, the security men of Noi Bai airport did "stop foreign exit" to Nguyen Chi Tuyen for the reason: "because of security reason at the request of Department A87 (Department of Information Security, Communications), Ministry of Public Security". 1.7 Two students Nguyen Van Trang and Pham Dac Dat were banned when preparing to board to Australia to attend the Congress of Vietnamese Australian Student Association on July 10-13, 2014 in Melbourne - Australia. The congress organized by the Federation of Vietnamese Australian Student Association and Vietnam Youth Network. 1.8 After ending house arrest in September 2014, Pham Ba Hai had made an application for a passport to continue his study in India. After several months, Immigration Management Department of HCMC informed Mr. Hai that his case has not been solved yet. By Sept 07, Hai received his passport, but the next day they invited him and then taking it back on the ground that "pending resolution."
Working with the security forces of HCMC, they said Pham Ba Hai that ending activities on CSOs and human rights will be a precondition to lift foreign travel ban.
1.9 Nguyen Van Vien, a member of Hanoi No-U group, was detained for a dozen of hours after landing from Thailand on August 28.
Around 6:30 pm, they confiscated his passport and released despite his protest.
2. Prohibiting leaving residence, not allowing temporary lodging, preventing from meeting The authorities infringe the rights to peaceful meetings of independent civil society organizations or events to express freedom of speech in the public.
Recommendation 149: Protect and guarantee respect for freedom of information and expression, particularly for journalists, bloggers and human rights defenders, and undertake a review of legislation governing the press to ensure its compliance with international standards (Luxembourg);
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2.1 Former PoC Nguyen Ba Dang in Nam Sach district, Hai Duong province was detained for questioning for two days on March13 and 14 because he planned to hold a memorial about 64 soldiers died in Gac Ma Island in 1988. 15-20 policemen alternately interrogated him all day and night, including a dozen articles that he published on the internet. 2.2 Two members of Vietnamese Women for Human Rights Huynh Ngoc Phuong and Nguyen Ngoc Lua were detained and interrogated for 13 hours when they were attending the appeal hearing of Thao Quan Mua, Ly Van Dinh and Duong Van Tu on May 27, 2014 in Tuyen Quang province. 2.3 Ho Chi Minh City police barred representatives of CSOs from attending the July regular meeting. On July 4, Dr. Nguyen Dan Que said: "At 6.30 am Mr. Pham Ba Hai informed that policemen stationed in front of his house and blocked him from going out. Police also called him to go to a police station for questions in the morning."
Mr. Hoang Dung (Vietnam Path) said when he picked up some students to take the examination near the meeting place, police ordered him to back home. Members of Cao Dai church in Lam Dong and Vinh
CSOs meeting in June, 2014 Long provinces were also barred from leaving.
2.4 On July 25, Heiner Biederfeldt, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religions and Beliefs led a delegation to work in HCM City. He planned to meet some religious clerks and witnesses in order to examine Vietnam's acceptance of recommendations of the UN Human Rights Council. However, he could not meet those he wanted since the local police barred them from going out. Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, independent journalist Pham Chi Dung, Ms. Duong Thi Tan, former political prisoner Pham Ba Hai and two Protestant Pastors Nguyen Hoang Hoa and Nguyen Manh Hung were not allowed to go out of their private houses. Policemen implemented hard acts to those who tried to go out. 2.5 Many democracy activists and bloggers were invited to attend the seminar on "Non-state media in contemporary Vietnam" held in Hanoi on July 30 but a number of them could not come to the event due to the local police' intervention. At least, five activists namely Pham Ba Hai, Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Tran Thi Nga, Huynh Phuong Ngoc and Dr. Pham Hong Son were not allowed to attend by security forces. Mr. Hai and Ms. Quynh were stopped on the way to go to the airport while Ms. Nga and Ms. Ngoc were locked inside a room of a hotel in Hanoi. Dr. Son's house had been blocked by security agents one day ahead of the seminar. 2.6 Seven activists from different CSOs were barred by security agents from attending a monthly meeting of independent CSOs held in Saigon-based Redemptory Church on Aug 5.
They were Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, aka Me Nam (Vietnam Blogger Network), Venerable Thich Thien Minh, Mr. Nguyen Bac Truyen (Political & Religious Prisoners friendship Association of Vietnam), Dr. Pham Chi Dung (Independent Journalist Association of Vietnam), former political prisoner Pham Ba Hai (Bach Dang Giang Foundation), Nguyen Nu Phuong Dung (Vietnam Path) and former prisoner of conscience Lu Van Bay, who was just released from prison.
2.7 Many human rights activists and independent journalists were barred by security forces from attending the open trial against land rights defender Bui Thi Minh Hang on 26 August. Among them are Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, Venerable Thich Thien Minh, former political prisoner Pham Ba
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Hai, journalists Truong Minh Duc, Phan Thanh Hai, Huynh Ngoc Chenh, Nguyen Tuong Thuy and Pham Chi Dung.
70-year-old Writer Nguyen Dinh Trong, who is former army colonel, was kidnaped and forced to back home after he tried to go out.
In August, journalist Pham Chi Dung, chairman of the Independent Journalist Association of Vietnam, received six summonses from the Security Investigation Agency of HCM City relating to the visit of the UN Rapporteur on freedom of religions and beliefs, and the open trial of anti-China activist Bui Thi Minh Hang.
2.8 The fear leading to prevent the independent CSOs Vietnamese government violated the international conventions that Vietnam is a signatory; it also violates the country's Constitution 2013.
Venerable Thich Thien Minh from Hoc Mon district informed: "Police agents have blocked my house at both ends of the alley three days by eight agents." Dr. Nguyen Dan Que said that on Sept 3-4, a group of three or four policemen blocked his house nonstop. When he went out, they followed him until he returned home.
Mr. Pham Ba Hai had been blocked since Sept 1. Police warned him not to go to meeting on Sept 5.
Policemen and militia blocked Huynh Trong Hieu and his wife as well as Ms. Huynh Phuong Ngoc, not allowing them to go out, even for daily work.
The communication unit of the Hoa Hao Buddhists informed that police in southwestern provinces had verbally ordered banning monks and followers from attending the CSOs' meeting on Sept 5.
2.9 Writer Pham Dinh Trong filed a complaint about barring him to attend the meeting. He wrote "On Sunday morning of Aug 24, I drove my motorbike to take breakfast with my old friends who are retired writers and journalists. When I went out, five plainclothes agents came and demanded me to go back to my house. I intended to go back but one car approached behind, and the agents pushed me into the car and then drove directly to the police station in Phuoc Kien commune."
"On Sunday morning of May 18, there was a planned demonstration to protest China's deployment of its oil rig in Vietnam's waters. When I was walking in the park before Doc Lap building, someone from behind suddenly held my arms tight and gagged my mouth and pushed me into a car. In the car, they seized my cell phone and camera. The car drove to Can Gio beach, 55km distance and detained me there one day.”
2.10 At 5.30pm of Nov 3, blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh was barred from going to Hanoi by Khanh Hoa provincial security agents. At the invitation of the embassies of Canada and Norway, she intended to attend a seminar on legitimate rights and legal procedures in the context of Universal Periodic Review of Vietnam. 2.11 Mr. Ly Quang Son dispersed human rights leaflets to residents during the garbage collecting program in the common places. However, he received no encouragement from local authorities in promoting human rights understanding. His landlord under pressure of security agents asked him and other three roommates to leave the rented room although they did no violation to renting contract. The landlord said security agents and communal policemen ordered him by telephone.
Do Anh Tuan, one of the activists in Hanoi said he was fined 30 million VND (US $1,400) by Hanoi police as he disseminated the UN declaration on human rights and Vietnam Constitution 1992. He said that on
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the occasion of the International Human Rights Day on Dec 8, 2013, he with his friends went to Thong Nhat Park in Hanoi to disseminate human rights handbook but police confiscated all. Three days later, he received a Decision of the administrative punishment of 30 Million VND for illegal printing of human rights documentation. He filed a complaint to protest the decision, but because the procedures were too complicated, so he gave up. One year later, he received a notice that he has to pay the fine. The fine will be automatically extracted from his monthly salary.
3. Police attack activists with bricks, stones, and rank liquid Recommendation 150. Take steps to amend its Penal Code to ensure that it cannot be applied in an arbitrary manner to prevent freedom of expression (Finland);
Recommendation 155. Ensure that Decree 72, concerning the management, provision and use of Internet services and information online, is implemented in a manner that does not limit individuals’ rights to voice their opinions online (Finland);
3.1 At 7.30 am of Feb 11, when sitting in the house in Tam Ky district, Quang Nam province, PoC Huynh Ngoc Tuan heard sound of some motorbike approaching, and then it was the roaring of stones and bricks breaking the wall and roof. When he opened the door, two bikes ran away. The neighbors saw four plainclothes agents throwing stones and bricks at Tuan's house.
3.2 On Feb 21, thugs attacked with stones and feces the private house of Mr. Huynh Ngoc Tuan.
At 9.30 pm, plainclothes agents threw feces and bricks at Mr. Tuan’ house in Phu Quy village, Tam Phu commune, Tam Ky district, Quang Nam province.
3.3 At 8 am of Aug 23 Ms. Tran Thi Nga woke up and saw the waste oil on her house floor where products for bed are being displayed for sale. Outside of the house, there were numerous leaflets defaming her.
3.4 On Oct 10, at 12 pm, a group of plainclothes agents attacked the rented room of Huynh Trong Hieu in 305/16 Truong Chinh street, HCM City. Talking about the incident, he said "My wife, I and the 10-month child were in the upstairs without any self-defense tools. We heard someone throwing big stones to our door. Shortly they destroyed the front and back doors. Three masked thugs shouting and scolding entered the house and
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then breaking down things and threatening to kill all people before left on two motorbikes”.
3.5 On the night of Dec 31, plainclothes agents threw rank fish liquid on blogger Nguyen Van Thanh (Da Nang city) after one day these plainclothes men followed him.
CHAPTER 3: BEATING, DETAINING, TORTURING
Recommendation 167: Ensure a favourable environment for the activities of human rights defenders, journalists and other civil society actors (Tunisia);
Recommendation 169: Encourage strengthening of NGOs by promoting a legal, administrative and fiscal framework in which such institutions can be created and developed and perform their activities without any obstacles and with freedom of expression (Spain);
Using thugs or police-disguised thugs Vietnam's security forces have been implementing the cruelest measure to attack human rights defenders and political dissidents publicly even in day time.
1. Brutal Attacks against activists, dissidents Recommendation 119. Ensure in law and in practice the protection of women against all forms of violence (Canada);
Recommendation 165. Create conditions favourable to the realization of freedom of expression, both online and offline, freedom of association, and freedom of religion and belief (Poland);
1.1 On Jan 1, 2014 a group of nearly 100 land petitioners were marching on Vo Thi Sau street toward the Duc Ba Cathedral in Saigon. Policemen, security agents and militia surrounded and forced them into buses. Ms. Tran Ngoc Anh was beaten to unconscious and hospitalized for treatment of ribs for three days. 1.2 In early morning of Jan 2, 2014, Mr. Le Quoc Quyet, a younger brother of imprisoned lawyer Le Quoc Quan, was beaten severely by four thugs at the gate of My Kim apartment in Hiep Binh Chanh ward, Thu Duc district, HCMC. Quyet confirmed that the attackers are security agents who followed him several days earlier.
Speaking to VOA, Quyet said "The attackers are those who have been following me, and only security agents follow me. I know their faces and their motorbikes' number plate. The safeguards of the building also said the attackers are security agents following me frequently so that they park their bikes without tickets. I am sure they are policemen."
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The camera of the safeguards showed that four men attack Quyet as soon as he got off a taxi. They stopped beating until residents in the building came out when hearing Quyet's shouting for help.
1.3 Five farmers in Van Giang were shot injury by lead-bulleted hunting rifle when they tried to protect their lands against illegal seizure.
Mr. Le Van Manh, one of the five victims shot by mobs on Jan 10 said to RFA: "We were shot by thugs from 25 meters away. The weapon is China's handmade rifle. One victim was treated at Viet Duc Hospital in Hanoi. Four others got lighter injuries and could go home after having small surgeon. I was shot by two, one in the arm and other in the back. We filed the complaint on the case to the local authorities, but they ignored.”
Van Giang farmers were forced to protect themselves by making shields from rice straw.
1.4 On Feb 11, land right activist Bui Thi Minh Hang and other 21 friends were ambushed and beaten by thugs and plainclothes agents, policemen and women in Long Hung commune, Lap Vo district, Dong Thap province.
Senior Monk Vo Van Thanh Liem of Quang Minh Tu Pagoda, who witnessed the incident, reported that the activists are riding bikes. At the midway, traffic police stopped them and then policemen and plainclothes agents and thugs started attacking by wooden batons. Mr. Ut Buu was beaten to his ribs broken while Nam Manh was beaten like a ball. Ms. Hang and other seven women manhandled to being unbuttoned their shirts.
The activists were beaten by policemen and thugs for over an hour.
1.5 On Feb 16, blogger Nguyen Van Thanh was beaten during an administrative check on household registration by the local authorities in Hoa Phuoc commune, Hoa Vang district, Danang city. Earlier on Dec 10, 2013, Thanh was also attacked and his iPad was robbed by a group of police- sponsored thugs when he was on his way to reclaim his communication gadgets illegally confiscated by the authorities.
1.6 On Feb 20 blogger Huynh Trong Hieu and writer Huynh Ngoc Tuan were beaten by ten masked agents in Tam Ky city when they stepped out of a car. The two activists were attacked when they returned from Binh Dinh province after attending a death anniversary of the national monk Phuoc Hue at Thap Thap pagoda of Delegation of Vietnamese United Buddhists Church. Security agents followed them from Binh Dinh.
Tuan was kicked on a road while Hieu was beaten many times on his head, face, back and belly.
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1.7 On Feb 24, when former political prisoner Nguyen Bac Truyen and his wife were riding a taxi to Australia's Embassy in Hanoi.
Four plainclothes agents, who following him and his wife when the couple arrived in Hanoi, stopped the couple's taxi. They first hit the driver; he was scared to run away. Thugs then boxed Truyen in the backseat. They took him out of the taxi and continued beating to his nose broken.
1.8 On Mar 20, Mr. Trinh Anh Tuan (nickname Gio Lang Thang) was attacked by three plainclothes agents after he attended a human rights coffee meeting organized by Network of Vietnam Bloggers. The attackers kicked him when he was driving a motorbike, making him fallen down on the street, and they kept beating him. The attackers also broke his cellphone.
1.9 At noon of Mar 22, when human rights activist Truong Van Dung driving a bike was going to the Nam Dong gas station (Hanoi), he was kicked fallen by two plainclothes agents on a bike. Knowing who they are, Mr. Dung shouted “police beat people”. They instantly used iron bars to beat him on his legs. Mr. Dung tried to escape to a supermarket's basement nearby, but they chased him to beat him until he could not move.
1.10 Human rights defender Tran Thi Nga and friends gathered in Hanoi to call on the authorities to free the land rights activist Bui Thi Minh Hang and bloggers Nguyen Thuy Quynh and Nguyen Van Minh on Mar 23. Nga and others were beaten on the street. She was then detained together with two Hmong ethnic people at the police station of Quang Trung ward. In the police station, the police officer who beat her on the street came in and hit her on the face. She ran out to call help from another officer; he said loudly "who beat you? Go in. Sit down". Just sitting down, immediately that the police officer beat her again while saying "Now, look. I beat you". 1.11 On Mar 24, Hoa Hao Buddhist follower Nguyen Hoang Nam prepared praying at his house in Vinh Chau commune, Chau Doc district, An Giang province. Police came and demanded him to end praying, but he refused. Policemen then beat him, destroying his properties and even flirting his wife. 1.12 A group of land petitioners were in a police station to demand to return the illegally seized cellphones. Suddenly the light was off, and sounds of shouting. Ms. Tran Ngoc Anh was kicked by thugs so that her kidney was broken. Police later took her to the hospital for urgent treatment. The incident happened in Saigon on Mar 24. 1.13 On Mar 26, dozens of land petitioners held demonstrations in front of Independent Palace and near Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon to demand justice for their grabbed land. The demonstrations were suppressed brutally by hundreds of police. Ms. Pham Thi Hue was beaten
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in a police bus when transferring her to the home province of Binh Duong. Ms. Tran Thi Hoang was kicked and beaten in Ben Nghe ward police station. Her left hand was seriously injured. 1.14 In the letter, Mr. Nguyen Duc Quoc retold what he saw Quang Nam security agents beating Mr. Bui Tuan Lam in Tam Ky city: "I left the motorbike to run to the other side of the bridge and trying making a phone call to Catholic Father Phan Van Loi. Not having called yet, I saw eight security agents to rounding up Bui Tuan Lam and using helmets to beat, kicked, pulled him very severely. They stopped after I shout loudly "Help us. Police beat people." 1.15 Activists Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Trinh Kim Tien, Nguyen Ho Nhat Thanh and Nguyen Van Hai were detained and beaten when they were organizing the discussion themed "UN Convention against Torture and Innocent deaths in police stations" on April 19 at Swing cafe in Loc Tho ward, Nha Trang city. The police ordered the cafe shop owners to close their 500-place facility on the day of meeting. 1.16 On April 21, Tran Thi Hai and Nguyen Ngoc Lua (Vietnamese Women for Human Rights) tried to attend an appeal hearing of the land petitioners Nguyen Thi Anh Nguyet and Nguyen Thi Tuyen. After the appeal, at 11.30 am, the two activists were detained by Can Tho city police. They were beaten in a police station in Cai Khe ward.
1.17 On 8 May, a security policeman threw a glass at lawyer Nguyen Van Dai's head in a coffee shop. Mr. Dai said: "In the afternoon, when I and friends have some coffee, they threw the glass at my head to bleeding, and then starting beating. Luckily there are many persons on our side to fight back, so thugs left".
1.18 On May 17, Vinh city-based music lecturer Nguyen Nang Tinh was riding a motorbike with his friend; they were chased and then stopped by militia. Policemen and plainclothes agents surrounded the duo to let thugs beat Mr. Tinh. He tried to run toward another group of policemen to seek shelter. However, he was beaten more while the policemen did nothing. He was beaten to his helmet broken and bleeding. 1.19 On May 18, activists Nguyen Ngoc Lua, Nguyen The Lu, Huynh Trong Hieu, Vo Quoc Anh and Trinh Anh Tuan were attacked by police in Ho Chi Minh City when they were going to participate in anti-China protest.
Blogger Quoc Anh said, "Four-five policemen hit me and asked me "you come there to disturb public order?". I replied "peaceful protest," they then started beating me at my ears and head; some used shoes' toe kicking at my legs. Demanding me to take off my shirt with the slogan "Freedom for Le Quoc Quan," I refused, and they continued to beat me as well as insulted me."
1.20 At 4 pm on May 25, Ms. Tran Thi Nga and two her children were on a motorbike driven by her friend in Hanoi. Arriving at Thanh Tri district, suddenly she was attacked by five thugs. They stopped the bike and beating Nga while she and children fell on the street.
She was transferred to the hospital where the doctor said
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her left hand and right leg were broken.
1.21 While trying to attend the trial of three activists Bui Thi Minh Hang, Nguyen Thuy Quynh and Nguyen Van Minh in Dong Thap provincial on Aug 26, Nguyen Ngoc Lua, the pregnant Nguyen Hoang Vi and many other activists were detained in the police station of My Phu ward, Cao Lanh city. Refusing to sign the minutes prepared by police, Ngoc Lua was beaten at her head. After returning Ho Chi Minh City, she was hospitalized due to headaches caused by police's attack.
Plainclothes agents came and demanded the hospital not to treat her.
1.22 On Aug 28, the security agents, who often follow Mr. Nguyen Bac Truyen, used their motorbike to crash on him when the coup was waiting at a bus station. He had to hospitalize for special treatment.
1.23 On Sept 8, former political prisoner Truong Minh Duc was beaten when he traveled by taxi on Hanoi's street.
Duc, together with activists Do Thi Minh Hanh, Truong Van Dung and Tran Thi Nga traveled by taxi. At Kham Thien street, they were stopped by thugs who pulled Duc outside and beat him until he fell unconscious.
1.24 At 4.15 pm on Sept 30, former political prisoner Duong Au was attacked by lieutenant police officer, named Vinh at his house. Pham Thi Loan, Au's wife, said Vinh was one of the six policemen regularly stationing in front of their house. When Vinh entered Au's house without invitation, the owner demanded the policeman to go out. Vinh took a brick and hit Vinh in his head.
1.25 On Oct 29, Mr. Pham Ba Hai and Mr. Le Van Soc were brutally beaten by plainclothes agents after they visited Duong Au, another prisoner of conscience, in Da Lat, Lam Dong province, 150 miles northeast of Ho Chi Minh City.
Mr. Hai reported about the attack in Lam Dong: "About 7PM Oct 29, 2014, I and the religious activist Le Van Soc went to Duc Trong district, Lam Dong province to visit the land rights activist Duong Au, who ended his jail term of five years last month.
As soon as we entered the house, a nearly 60-year-old man walked in and introduced as the security officer of Lam Dong province.
Duong Au was absent; he was joining a funeral in the same village. His daughter drove a motorbike to call him back. Seeing me, from the gate he ran into the house; we hugged each other friendly. Duong Au was jailed in the same cell with me at K2, Z30A Xuan Loc prison nearly one year, and then he was disciplined and moved elsewhere. We inquired about each other’s lives, exchanging the current situation.
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Conversation occasionally was contributed few words by provincial security officer. Sometimes he also received or made phone calls. Au Duong told me that security forces have increased outside the house. Not comfortable to stay, we said goodbye my resilient friend and left for Da Lat city, 10 kilometers away.
Getting off the bus, we walked towards Dalat market just the two short streets. Two motorcycle scouts always follow nearby. Just turning to Le Dai Hanh street, we saw four youths coming. A man took his body jerked my shoulder; another man asked “To whom you visit?”. Immediately one guy punched me at the nose.
I fell down on the pavement. My hands covered the head to suffer the kicks to the stomach and back. Finding unsatisfactorily, a man grabbed my jacket collar trying to raise me up while continuously kicking at hip and chest. In the beginning Le Van Soc were pushed across the street, seeing me beaten, he tried to approach to help but he was kicked into the stomach. His bag with casual clothes dropped on the ground.
The finale of the play is pulled up: a plain cloth man was quickly walking forward us while speaking loudly: “I’m a police here.” Four attackers responded: “Police, run, run!”. The false policeman took my hand firmly, lifting me up and asked there is anything to report. I looked at him doubtfully and said, “No, thanks.”
1.26 On Oct 30, Pham Ba Hai was tortured in Vinh city. He was detained together with Le Van Soc when the duo arrived in Vinh by plane in a bid to visit former PoCs.
During the detention in the police station in the city, Hai was severely attacked by the provincial security chief and seven police officers during a violent interrogation. Furious after failing to open Hai’s laptop, the chief torture him by thrusting two of his fingers into Hai’s nose and hooked upward. He also pressed the burning cigarette at Hai’s left wrist.
1.27 On Oct 30, 2014, Chu Manh Son went to welcome Pham Ba Hai at Vinh airport whose flight will land at 2pm. Arriving at the airport, he saw many policemen and plainclothes agents around there. He thought Hai was arrested, so he managed to return home. However, police stopped him and detained.
Manh Son was taken to the police station of Nghi An commune in Vinh city for interrogation. During the interrogation, some officers beat him at his face while others called him "dog." After that, they called the police to escort him to Yen Thanh district, which is his home district.
At the headquarters of Yen Thanh district police, Son was taken to the office of Chu Van Phu, head of the district's Criminal Sentence Implementation Department at 6.20 pm. In a close room, Phu beat Son at his face, chest and back at the presence of a number police officers, including the head of Yen Thanh district police and policemen from the Phuc Thanh commune. None of them intervened. Even the district police head said "Beat him to death until he could not voice and take food. If he is still stubborn, beat more."
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1.28 Independent journalist Truong Minh Duc was beaten and robbed by eight plainclothes agents in Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong province.
On Nov 2, 2014, eight plainclothes followed Mr. Duc when he went out of his house in My Phuoc ward, Ben Cat district. At a place three kilometers to Suoi Giua intersection in Hiep An ward, Thu Dau Mot city at 8.30 pm, the secret agents attacked Duc, beat him severely and robbed his property (US $600, IDs, laptop, iPad, cellphone). The group was led by a lieutenant colonel named Hoa. Mr. Duc recognized Hoa because once the police officer beat him at the police station in My Phuoc ward on the early morning of Sept 12, 2014.
1.29 Ly Quang Son and Trieu Hong Minh were beaten for human rights activities
Mr. Son told about the circumstance at 7 pm on Nov 27, 2014: "The local police ordered 20 policemen and security agents with one ambulance and two police cars to disperse those who gathered to support us. The policemen took me to the basement and then to a road. When I saw friends outside, I raised a human rights sign by my hand to salute them. However, policemen beat me and did not allow me to interact with my supporters."
At a police station in Dich Vong ward, Mr. Minh was beaten at his face, head, belly and arm when he refused to answer questions on his personnel information as well as documentation in the room No. 604 of the N06 building.
1.30 When blogger Nguyen Hoang Vi was taking a walk nearby her house at 3.30 pm of Dec 9, 2014, she was suddenly attacked by three strange women from motorbikes. Vi narrowly avoided their bikes, but a dozen of thugs appeared to beat her.
The attack happened under watch of local policemen and militia who blocked and stationed in front of Vi's private house in Phan Van Nam street, No. 107 alley in Tan Phu district in Saigon for days before. Being informed, Vi's mother and some other people rush to protect her, and the attackers and policemen and militia disappeared.
1.31 At 2am on Dec 21, land petitioner Le Thi Ngoc Da left her house in Vinh Hung district, Long An province to take a bus to Lien Tri Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City. However, when the bus started departing, traffic policemen stopped it and ordered the driver not to let her get in. Leaving the bus, Da walked. But after going around 8 kilometers, she was stoned at her arm. She shouted loudly "Every one, police want to assassinate me! Help me, please." The secret agent immediately came out from the ambushed place, driving away his motorbike parking on the roadside.
Several days before, security agents searched her house and barred her from attending a trial against human rights activist Bui Thi Minh Hang.
2. Pre-trial detention to dissidents and human rights defenders Recommendations of many countries on amendments of the Vietnamese Penal Code
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Recommendation 156. Give space to non-state media, and that make Penal Code Articles 79, 88 and 258 more specific and consistent with international human rights obligations on freedom of expression (Australia);
Recommendation 157. Amend the provisions concerning offences against national security which could restrict freedom of expression, including on the Internet, particularly articles 79, 88 and 258 of the Penal Code, to ensure its compliance with Viet Nam’s international obligations, including ICCPR (Canada)
Vietnam authorities said they accepted the recommendations, but in reality, they did contrarily. The following facts are pre-trial detainees.
2.1 Blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh and his assistant Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy were arrested on May 5 for posting articles on the Internet. The duo was accused by the Ministry of Public Security due to "posting online the articles having wrong, distorted information which defame, decrease people's trust in the state, social organizations under Article 258 of the Penal Code of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam."
2.2 On the morning of May 15, Le Thi Phuong Anh, Pham Minh Vu and Do Nam Trung made a field trip to the southern province of Dong Nai. At 10.15 am, the trio was stopped by a group of local policemen near AMATA Industrial Zone in Long Binh ward, Bien Hoa city. The police demand Ms. Phuong Anh to delete all photos in her camera card that she took earlier. After that, the trio was arrested and accused of causing public disorders under Article 245.
2.3 On July 8, three land petitioners namely Nguyen Thi Tri (Binh Duong province), Ngo Thi Minh Uoc (Binh Phuoc province) and Nguyen Thi Be Hai (Dong Thap) were arrested after arriving at Ben Thanh market (Saigon) by bus.
The trio, together with other land petitioners participated in a peaceful demonstration in the front of the U.S.'s General Consulate in Le Duan street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Concerning about the authorities' suppression against land petitioners, the trio sent a number of complaints to protest, however, they were ignored.
On July 7 and 8, Tri, Uoc and Hai waved the flags of former Saigon regime calling on Vietnamese overseas to come back to rescue the nation. They were arrested under Article 88 of the Penal Code "anti- state propaganda". Currently, they are detained in Detention Center No. 4 at Phan Dang Luu Street in Ho Chi Minh City.
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2.4 At 10.30 am on Nov 29, the Security Investigation Agency of HCM City police urgently arrested blogger Hong Le Tho under Article 258 after searching his private house. Mr. Tho, born in 1949, is a permanent resident at 15 Cuu Long street, Ward 15, District 10. He is the owner of the well-known blog "Nguoi Lot Gach" (Brick Layer).
2.5 Writer Nguyen Quang Lap, the owner of the popular blog "Que Choa" (My Fatherland), was arrested on Dec 6. His private house was searched, and his personal computer was confiscated.
To promote people's knowledge, writer Lap posted numerous articles addressing the current evil issues of the nation, including those criticizing government policies. He was arrested under Article 258 "abusing democratic freedoms" but later changed to Article 88 "anti-state propaganda".
2.6 Blogger Nguyen Dinh Ngoc, 48, with nickname Nguyen Ngoc Gia, was arrested on Dec 27. During the past six years, he wrote a number of articles addressing issues of prisoners of conscience and injustice, and criticizing policies of the ruling communist party. The police have not specified on what charge he is facing in the Penal code.
3. Trialing Unfairly Vietnam's court system aims to protect the regime, not justice. All trials to political dissidents have violated the principles of a fair trial. All judges are members of the ruling communist party and taking judgments against these activists classified as anti-party.
Recommendation 127. Expedite implementation of the reform of the judicial system and intensify within the system a culture of systematic respect of human rights (Cabo Verde);
Recommendation 128. Continue to take measures to secure the rule of law, including by establishing a criminal justice system that gives due consideration to human rights (Japan);
Recommendation 130. Continue strengthening the judiciary based on the principles of the independence of judges and prosecutors and ensure equal access for all to the justice system (Serbia);
3.1 Da Nang city-based blogger Truong Duy Nhat was arrested in May, 2013 and sentenced to two years in jail under Article 258. At the trial on Mar 4, he reaffirmed that he is innocent although he admitted that he criticized the government.
His appeal was held by Supreme People's Court of Da Nang on June 26. It started at 8.30 am and ended at 9.45 am without much debate.
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The appeal court upheld his two-year imprisonment.
3.2 Mr. Hoang Van Sang was sentenced to 18 months in jail by the People's Court in Yen Son district, Tuyen Quang province according to Article 258 of the Penal Code on Mar 18. He is one of the Hmong ethnics realizing Duong Van Minh's religious reforms to outdated custom in wedding and funeral. Some Hmong ethnic people gathered to build a house called "Nha Don" or "Nha Be" to hold the death people for the funeral ceremony. "Nha Don" is a house with several square meters, a toad, a swallow, and a wooden Cross on the altar. 3.3 The People's Court in Hanoi on Mar 19 sentenced writer, blogger Pham Viet Dao to 15 months in jail for "abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens" according to Article 258.
Mr. Dao was an official working at the Department of Film under the Ministry of Culture, then an inspector of this ministry until 2007. Later, he was the head of Department of Administration Inspection and Anti-corruption Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism. He is a member of the Vietnam Writers Association and translated many books into Rumanian as he had studied and graduated literature there before.
On June 9, the appeal court upheld the 15-month sentence of Mr. Dao. The court did not inform his family, so his wife and children were neither at the appeal court nor his lawyer. He defended himself.
3.4 On Mar 20, the People's Court in Ham Yen district, Tuyen Quang province opened the trial to Ly Van Dinh and Duong Van Tu under the charge of Article 258. It sentenced Mr. Tu to 21 months and Mr. Dinh to 15 months in jail.
Mr. Dinh, born in 1963, was arrested on Nov 19, 2013 and Mr. Tu, born in 1967, was detained in Oct 10 in the same year. Both are the Hmong ethnics. They called on the Hmong people to abolish outdated practice in funeral and unhygienic ways of living. (from left) Duong van Tu, Ly van Dinh - Photo of Bao Tuyen Quang The appeal court on May 27 upheld the 15-month imprisonment for Dinh and reduced Tu's sentence to 19 months.
3.5 The People's Court in Ham Yen district, Tuyen Quang province sentenced Thao Quan Mua to 18 months in jail under Article 258. According to the verdict, during May 16-19, 2013, Mr. Mua, born in 1964, staying in Minh Tien 9, Minh Huong commune abused freedom of religion to infringe the state's interests as he organized illegal building of "Nha Don" in an area proposed for building the village's cultural house.
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3.6 The appeal court of Can Tho city on April 22 upheld three-year imprisonment to Nguyen Thi Anh Nguyet and reduced the two and half year sentence of Nguyen Thi Tuyen to two years. 3.7 On May 6, Mr. Vu A Su, born in 1989, a Hmong ethnic in Vinh Quang commune, Bao Lam district, Cao Bang province was sentenced to 24 months in jail according to Article 258 in a trial where he had no lawyer. Mr. Su was arrested on Nov 24, 2013 in a raid of hundreds of policemen and militia broke down the village's funeral house, called "Nha Don". 3.8 On May 27, the People's Court in Yen Son district, Tuyen Quang province trialed Thao Quan Mua, Ly Van Duong and Duong Van Tu at the district's police building. The court sentenced Mua to 18 months, upheld 15-month sentence of Dinh and reduced Tu's 21 month imprisonment to 19 months. 3.9 In 2012, the Vietnam authorities prosecuted 22 members of Bia Son Religious Council (Hoi dong Cong luat Cong an Bia Son) according to Article 79. On July 17, Vietnam arrested more its three members, named Nguyen Van Huu (1957), Huynh Duc Minh (1958) and Vo Van Phung (1950). Huu was sentenced to four years in prison, while Minh and Phung received three years for each. The trio was accused to illegally manufacturing, stockpiling, transporting, using, trading in or appropriating military weapons and/or technical means according to Article 230 of the Penal Code.
In fact, the trio used explosive materials to clear rocks in building pagodas, infrastructure for Bia Son religious Council in the mountain Bia Son, Phu Yen province.
3.10 Three Hmong ethnic people namely Duong Van Thanh, Hoang Van Su, and Hoang Van Sinh were arrested in February 2014 according to Article 258. On July 30, 2014, the People's Court in Ngan Son district, Bac Kan province sentenced Thanh to 24 months, Sinh to 18 months and Sinh to 15 months in jail.
The appeal court on Oct 15 reduced Su's sentence to 15 months but upheld the sentences of Thanh and Sinh.
Free Hoang Van Su 3.11 On Mar 26, the investigation police in Thuan Nam district, Ninh Thuan province prosecuted six local residents with the charge of conducting activities against on-duty officials, named Duong Van Phuoc (52 years old), Do Van Duc (62), Nguyen Van Song (66), Duong Thu Duc (26), Duong Thu Hien (24) and Duong Thu Dung (23) in Phuoc Dinh commune. Phuoc and Duc were subjected to the three-month temporary detention while the four others were out on bail.
The villagers reportedly demolished properties of the company. When police came to prevent the riot, the six mentioned acted against the policemen.
However, according to other witnesses, after the People's Committee in Phuoc Dinh commune informed that Quang Thuan Co. resumed titanium-zircon mining on Mar 19, over 700 residents of Son Hai 1 and Son Hai 2 gathered at the communal building to protest because the company's mining affects the environment and reduces underground water which is vital for local residents.
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According to the viewpoint of the Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience, the titanium mining in the coastal provinces of Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan has caused the serious environmental pollution, and affecting badly livelihood of local people, similarly to the bauxite mining in the Central Highlands. The titanium mining has lasted for years, and local people have petitioned to authorities, but their petitions have been ignored or responded inadequately.
On Aug 1, the People's Court in Thuan Nam district sentenced Mr. Phuoc to 22 months in jail, and the others received suspended sentences between 15 months and 30 months.
Disagreeing with the sentence, Mr. Phuoc appealed; however, the appeal hearing upheld his 22-month imprisonment.
3.12 Political dissident Bui Thi Minh Hang, 50, was sentenced to three years in jail at the trial on Aug 26 by the People's Court in Dong Thap province of Mekong Delta. She was found guilty of causing public disorder according to Article 245 of the Penal Code. She was convicted together with two other activists, namely Nguyen Van Minh and Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh, who received 30 months and 24 months in jail respectively. The appeal hearing on Dec 12 upheld their sentences. 3.13 On the afternoon of June 18, 2013 the authorities of Tu Son district, Hanoi deployed a large number of policemen, militia, and plainclothes agents equipped with the heavy arm at the area projected. Encountering strong protest of residents, the authorities' armed forces severely suppressed them, beating all severely, including elders, women and children. Many people received serious injuries and were hospitalized.
At 9 am on July 4, 2013 a mob attacked Mrs. Do Thi Thiem with acid. Thiem is one of the most active land petitioners in Trinh Nguyen village. Getting treatment in hospital, Mrs. Thiem said the attack was designed by her local authorities after she refused to withdraw her land petition as they suggested. In October 2013, Tu Son district's authorities prosecuted 12 land petitioners who protested the land grabbing for the urban project without adequate compensation, charging them with causing public disorder. However, they all were out on bail. Before the trial opened, they had been summoned and forced to confess. Mrs. Ngo Thi Duc, one of the defendants, cut one finger herself to protest.
After a number of unreasonable postponements, the court opened on Sept 4 when public attention was down. The court sentenced Thiem, Do Van Quy and Do Van Hao to 28 months in jail for each. Ngo Thi Toan, Dang Thi My and Ngo Thi Nhu, who is deaf and illiterate, were sentenced to 26 months in jail for each. Six others received suspended sentences between 26 months and 36 months.
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3.14 On Sept 15, the People's Court of Ha Dong district in Hanoi convicted two farmers Nguyen Thi Ngan and Nguyen Thi Toan from Duong Noi ward under the charge of conducting activities against on-duty officials. The trial was held without informing families of the defendants. They also had no right to access lawyers. Both received the six-month sentence in jail for each.
3.15 Mrs. Can Thi Theu, Mr. Trinh Ba Khiem and Mr. Le Van Thanh were sentenced by the People's Court of Ha Dong district in Hanoi on Sept 19 on an allegation of conducting activities against on-duty officials. Theu got 15 months in jail, and 18 months and 12 months in jail for Khiem and Thanh respectively.
The appeal hearing on Nov 25 reduced Thanh's
Trinh Ba Phuong, son of Can Thi Theu and Trinh Ba Khiem, sentence to seven months, Khiem's sentence to 15 holding banner "Free my mother. Arresting innocent people months and upheld Tran Van Sang's sentence. to grab land is a crime”. 3.16 Mr. Tran Van Mien and Mr. Tran Van Sang were sentenced to respectively 22 months and 20 months in jail on Sept 25 with the charge of activities against on-duty state officials by Hanoi-based court.
Tran Thu Nam, the lawyer of the defendants, told the Voice of America radio that "The defendants and I insisted that they were not guilty. They did not agree with the conviction. The incident of setting fire tractors and the watching hut happened, but the court did not charge on property demolition. The defendants were prosecuted for causing public disorder, including the two defendants who were alleged to throw stones at the sheet metal fence surrounding the projected area. The procurator showed some evidences of the presence of the defendants and actions of throwing stones, and they considered it as the act of causing public disorder according to Clause 2 of Article 245 of the Penal Code. It was not normal, and the final judgment was not in line with the words of defendants."
The appeal hearing on Nov 25 upheld the sentence of Mr. Sang.
4. Torturing, beating prisoners, suspects and law breakers
Recommendation 62. Continue work on introducing awareness-raising and educational programmes on human rights into the curricula of schools and universities and on organizing relevant programmes for civil servants (Belarus);
Recommendation 65. Strengthen human rights education by providing special programmes for law enforcement officials and the judiciary (Morocco);
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Torture and cruel treatment conducted by policemen have been out of control and could not be accountable. Following cases were already reported by the state-run media (in Item 4 and 5 of this chapter). In some cases, the involved police cadres were disciplined but it is just a surface response to the media's report. The comprehensive measure to police using violence is to educate police officers, cadres on human rights and reforming legal procedures toward respecting human rights, applying in pre- trial detention and prison.
4.1 Mr. Le Thanh Hai, born in 1983, from Nong Cong district in the central province of Thanh Hoa informed that at 9 pm on Nov 21, he played with his ten-year-old nephew Toan in the front of the house of the neighbor Ms. Do Thi Hue. He joked as he threatened to burn Toan, and asked to borrow a lighter from Hue. Not understanding the joke, she replied him with bad words and Hai lost his control as he beat her on her face. Other villagers intervened, and the both sides returned home.
At 10 pm, Hue's husband, named Ma Lam Truong, who is the deputy head of the communal police, came to Hai's house to ask about the earlier incident. Admitting his fault, Hai went to Hue's house to apologize her.
At Hue's house, Truong pointed and scolded at him, pressing his neck on the table and locked his arms back. Le Thanh Ke, head of the communal police, also beat Hai in his head with tobacco pipe. Hai ran away, but the two police officers chased him and beat him severely before other villagers came to stop them.
4.2 At 2 pm of Feb 7, Huynh The Anh, 24, from Luong Hoa commune, Duc Hoa district, Long An province, having some wine with his friends. Later, two his friends went to buy more food and their motorbike collided with a truck of Ha Tan Bao. The two sides fought each other. Latter The Anh and two other friends came to the scene to rescue their friends.
In the evening, Anh was arrested by Duc Hoa district police and detained in the police station of Huu Thach commune where he was beaten by four policemen. They used baton to beat him on the back, belly and knee.
He reported "I sit on a chair with one hand tied to a motorbike. Policemen used their elbow to hit me on the head, chest and back. I fell unconsciously, and when I waked up, I was electrolyzed at fingers and toes." He said that policemen used rubber baton to hit him at knees. In addition, his foot was trampled under their shoes and putting chili powder in his eyes. "I felt so pain and collapsed down but policemen thought I drank and continued to beat me," Anh said. One policeman said, "I beat you to be unwell in the future." They also put chili on his lower abdomen.
4.3 Mr. Nguyen Dinh Ut, born in 1974 in Huong Tho Phu commune, Tan An city reported that at 10 pm of Mar 29, a group of policemen of Thai Binh Trung came for administrative check at his duck farm in Trung Mon village, where he raises 10,000 ducks. He hires Thach Nghieu from Bac Lieu province and two female workers. After the check IDs, police invited Ut ad Nghieu to the police station, where Ut was beaten severely until her family came to ask to bring him to the hospital while Nghieu was held until the next morning. Nghieu was also hospitalized for serious injuries. 4.4 Around 7 pm on June 23, Nguyen Tien Thanh, 20, quarreled with a group of young guys. Being informed, the communal policemen came to arrest Thanh. Many witnesses claimed that
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policemen and militia sprayed tear gas and beat Thanh at his face and belly until the communal police head arrived at the scene.
Ba Ria Hospital examined Thanh and concluded that he had many injuries at his belly, eye, and other internal injuries.
4.5 Mr. Nguyen Huu Thau was detained at 11.30 pm on July 3 for suspecting property stealing. Policeman Le Viet Hung and three other militia transferred him to Xuan Hoa village's auditorium for interrogation.
In the next morning (July 4), Thau's family and the authorities of the commune came and found him unconscious on the ground. Doctors examined him and said he got brain injury. He was taken to Cho Ray hospital in Ho Chi Minh City but died on the middle way.
4.6 Over the Nguyen Van Suu's unnatural death at the police station, on the morning of Oct 18, his family carried his coffin to the police headquarters of Mong Cai city in the northern province of Quang Ninh.
On Oct 11, in the Mui Ngoc coastal area of Binh Ngoc ward, Mong Cai city, Suu quarreled with Pham Van Manh (26 years, from Phong Coc commune, Quang Yen district). Suu used a lead-bulleted hunting rifle to shoot Manh at his belly.
On Oct 14, Suu was arrested and held in the police detention facility of Mong Cai city. On the afternoon of Oct 17, he was found death in the position likely he hang himself. Police autopsy showed that he used cloth thread to hang himself from a cell window.
4.7 On July 5, 2013, Ly Van Dung, a motorbike taxi driver in Dai An 2 commune, Tran De district, Soc Trang province was found to be killed. Later, local police arrested seven local young residents and charged them with murder. When the investigation nearly completed with confession of guilty, two other girls gave themselves up to police to confess they are the real murders. The seven suspects were released while two police investigators were probed for using torture and one procuracy officer was investigated for irresponsibility.
So Phach, one of the victims of police torture, said: "The simplest ways are grabbing hairs to hit the head against the table, boxing at nape, using club to hit at head, back. The cruelest methods are being hung up from a window with toes just touching the ground; or icing penis." After being tortured with different cruel measures, Phach chose to admit guiltily for murder he did not commit. He said a few days he was beaten 200 times.
4.8 According to the initial information, in March 2013, police in Gia Nghia town, Dak Nong province summoned a number of suspects for investigation on a deforestation case. H.V.N., 40, from Quang Thanh ward, was among the suspects. His family was informed next day that he died in police's custody.
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The Investigation Agency (C44) of the Ministry of Public Security urgently arrested Major Le Manh Nam on an allegation of irresponsibility which causes the serious consequence. Nam was the head of the Investigation Agency of Gia Nghia town, who ordered the detention of H.V.N.
4.9 In July, during a trial of Bac Giang province's court on a drug trade case, the accused Nguyen Thi Nguyet Nga denounced that she had been tortured during police interrogation. The medical examination at the trial showed that Nga had a number of injuries on her body. The People's Court of Bac Giang province voided the trial and demanding further investigation, especially on accusation of torture. 4.10 A traffic police team in Bien Hoa city consisted of leader Nguyen Ba Vinh and two members Mai Quoc Long and Ho Trung Quy were assigned to patrol to secure traffic on Bui Huu Nghia road of Hoa An commune, Bien Hoa city from 4 am until 11.30 am of Aug 16.
At 11.30, the team detected that Do Van Tien (22 years, from Trang Bom district, Dong Nai province) was driving a motorbike (Registration No. 60B8- 45473) with his girlfriend coming in the wrong direction against the one-way street. Seeing traffic policemen, Tien turned his motorbike to escape. Policeman Quy used a motorbike to chase and stop Tien. Sergeant Quy beat Tien at his head and legs.
4.11 Around 4 pm of Aug 12, Mr. Le Van Cuong, 25 years (Van Cu village, Huong Toan commune, Huong Tra district, Thua Thien-Hue province) was working at his house and Nguyen Xuan Dao, a communal policeman and some other plainclothes men came to ask him to help them buy birds.
After that, Dao drove motorbike to take Cuong to the communal police station, where Cuong was detained and beaten on his head, chest and ribs by three men. Later, they forced Cuong to admit that he stole a personal computer set. Cuong was hanged up and beaten.
Until 6.30 pm, Cuong, feeling too pain, threatened to commit suicide, so policemen released him. Immediately, his relatives brought him to a hospital in Hue city for urgent treatment.
5. Sentencing wrong and causing controversial deaths in temporary detention for investigation
On Jan 6, 42 independent CSOs in the country and abroad issued a joint statement calling for the Vietnamese government to drop death punishment.
The statement wrote "Justice, the law and the courts are to preserve the social order and to protect innocent citizens, but also to educate the offending citizens, helping them to repent and rehabilitate but it is not the duty of these institution to take vengeance upon the transgressors and their families.
The death penalty therefore is the expression of the regime’s brutality, because it is a sign of the government poor social administration; demonstrating the failure of the law, because once a life is lost there is irreparable consequences. In addition, the death sentence has no effect in the fight against crime. In countries where capital punishment is abolished, there is no increase in crime, while in countries where capital punishment is maintained, crime did not decrease, but there is a marked declining sense of preserving precious human lives. This does not take into account all the injustice and wrongful
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punishments that have taken place everywhere from ancient to current jurisprudence that have caused many to die unjustly on death row”.
Vietnam's government accepted two recommendations of Switzerland and Italy regarding the death sentence implementation.
Recommendation 92. Reduce the list of crimes punishable by death penalty, in particular, economic crimes and those linked to drugs, and examine the possibility of introducing a moratorium (Switzerland);
Recommendation 94. Consider at least further restricting the use of the death penalty only for the most serious crimes, as stated in article 6 of ICCPR with a view to soon adopting a de facto moratorium on executions (Italy);
Recommendation 137. Guarantee the right to family visits and legal assistance, in particular during police inquiries (Switzerland);
The signals of unjust punishment and controversial deaths during investigation in 2014 are collected as following:
5.1 One police Major in Haiphong was killed on the night of July 14, 2007. Three suspects were convicted: Vu Doan Trung (Hai Phong city) confessed and sentenced to 23 years in jail, Do Van Hoang (Hai Phong city) did not confess and sentenced to life imprisonment, and Nguyen Van Chuong (Hai Duong province), who was blamed of ringleader, did not confess and sentenced to death.
In July 2007, Chuong and his younger brother worked in Hai Phong. Both were not in Haiphong at the moment of the killing happened because they had returned home in Binh Dan commune, Kim Thanh district, Hai Duong province. Many relatives and other neighbor witnessed the presence of two brothers in their village, 40 kilometers away from Haiphong city. However, the statements of these witnesses were changed by police investigators or the witnesses were threatened so that they revoked their statements favorable to Chuong. These witnesses were neither mentioned in the indictment nor being summoned
Nguyen Van Chuong's parents have protested his to the court. innocence for 8 years As the matter of fact, Haiphong city police considered Chuong as a murder at the beginning of the investigation.
- They arrested his younger brother Nguyen Trong Doan on Aug 10, 2007 when Doan submitted a petition for Chuong's innocence prepared by their mother. Doan was sentenced up to two years in jail for not denouncing his brother.
- They tortured Chuong and many witnesses in order to void his alibi, including no statements of many witnesses; Doan's signature was fabricated, and the statements of suspect Vu Toan Trung and his girlfriend were contradictory.
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- Chuong's request to use audio recorders of his telephone conversation during the night of July 14 and the morning of July 15 was ignored.
5.2 The People's Court of the southern province of Long An in Dec 4 postponed carrying out the death sentence to Ho Duy Hai one day ahead. Ho Duy Hai was convicted on an allegation of murdering and stealing property.
Hai, 29, was sentenced to death as the court found him guilty of killing two women of the post office and stealing their property in 2008. After the final judgment had been made, Hai and his family claimed that he did not commit the murder.
The investigation agency failed to prove that the blood sample and Ho Duy Hai's relatives are happy when fingerprint collected at the scene belong to Hai. The statements of his execution is postponed. witnesses were also changed without their signatures. The weapon used by the killer was not found while investigators asked a witness to buy a knife and used it as a weapon for the case.
5.3 On Nov 11, Mr. Duong Le Dung, former director of Vinh Long Food Co., was arrested and charged with conducting wrong activities. He died on Dec 5 at the police detention facility.
Dung and his two subordinates were arrested by the Department of Anti-corruption of Ministry of Public Security in collaboration with the Vinh Long provincial police with allegation of conducting activities against state regulations on economic management which caused serious consequences.
5.4 On the morning of Dec 29, Mr. Tran Van Tung was found dead in a police detention center in Dai Loc district, Quang Nam province. Police said he hang himself.
Five days before, Tung was caught in red hand while cutting telephone cable in Phu Hai village, Dai Hiep commune by the local police. After that, Tung was transferred to the district police headquarter for interrogation and then detained.
Tung's mother Pham Thi Vang said that on Dec 25 she visited him in the detention center with clothes and food. He was healthy; she said she don't believe that he committed suicide.
Talking about the family's willingness to make Tung's death clear, she said if her son is wrong, he would be punished by the law but can not die Suspect committed suicide in the without clear reasons. temporary detention by hanging from the window.
6. Suppression and Harassment of Prisoners of Conscience Recommendation 133. Take the necessary measures to guarantee its citizens' right to equality before the law, to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and to a fair and public trial, as well as the right to freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention (Canada);
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Recommendation 134. Guarantee the right of all persons to a fair trial and, in particular, allow for the presence without restriction of observers at court hearings (Luxembourg);
In 2014, at least 18 POCs have staged hunger strike or been disciplined or beaten.
6.1 Lawyer Le Quoc Quan went on hunger strike from February 2 while being detained at Camp B14, Hanoi. He requested legal books to find ways to defend him at the court of appeal, as well as Bible books and meeting priests to receive sacraments. • Lawyer Le Quoc Quan was arrested on 27 December 2012 and serving his 2-and-a-half-year sentence on trumped-up tax evasion charge. 6.2 Bui Thi Minh Hang, Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh and Nguyen Van Minh went on hunger strike for 15 days in order to protest their groundless arrest conducted by Dong Thap Province’s police on 11 February 2014. They were held at Lap Vo district, Dong Thap province. Mr. Nguyen Bac Truyen recalled: “After 24 hours, 18 people were set free, except for Mrs. Bui Thi Minh Hang, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh and Mr. Nguyen Van Minh. At the moment, these three people’s health is the extreme concern because they have taken hunger strike for 15 days to protest the arrest and detention.” • Mrs. Bui Thi Minh Hang, Ms Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh and Mr Nguyen Van Minh were sentenced to three years, two and a half years and two years in prison respectively for “Disturbing public order” as stipulated in Article 245 of the Penal Code. 6.3 Do Van Hoa (Camp Ba Sao, Ha Nam Province) was maltreated and refused medical treatment just because he did not plead guilty. Due to dirty living condition, insufficient diet, humid and dark environment, during the Lunar New Year Festival he was infected with a bowel disease that the prison did not treat for him. They phoned his wife to bring food and medicine to the camp for him. At the moment, his bowel disease is temporarily eased. After this bout, his health decreases very much. The camp has provided him with two meals with vegetable daily, plus a meal with three slices of meat and a meal with a slice of fish every week. Every time his wife visits him, she protests against the camp’s arbitrarily placing her husband in solitary confinement as well their ill- treatment of him both physically and spiritually. Mr. Hoa himself also keeps protesting inside the camp. • Do Van Hoa was arrested on 16 June 2011 and sentenced to 4 years in prison plus 3 years under house arrest for “propaganda against the state” as stipulated in Article 88 of the Penal Code. 6.4 Mr. Ngo Hao has been forced to clear the forest over a large area despite the fact that he is over 60 years old and ill. Speaking about his father’s condition, Mr. Ngo Minh Tam said: “My father’s health condition is very bad now. During the trial, he could not stand up to answer questions but just did so while seated. After the hearings, I haven’t met him yet because the camp’s authorities refused to let me visit him. My mother says he is very weak now. Previously, his mood was rather sound, but I don’t understand why this time his spirits are alarmingly low. When my mother came to visit him, she was supervised so closely that he dares not utter a word. He looks so nervous and is in very low spirits.”
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Although Ngo Hao’s health condition is deteriorating, the camp’s authorities still impose compulsory labor measures on him, currently forcing him clear a very large area of forest.
• Ngo Hao was arrested on 8 February 2013, currently serving 16 years’ imprisonment sentence for “attempt to overthrow the people’s government” as stipulated in Article 79. 6.5 Ta Phong Tan was insulted in her cell. Her sister Ta Minh Tu said: “Sister Tan called me from her camp in Thanh Hoa province to say that she is ill and coughs very much. There are some new inmates. They insult her and if she opposes them, she will be beaten. They also insult her late mother’s worshiped picture. Sister Tan has submitted a complaint. She said if she doesn’t call home next month. That means they beat her again.” • Ta Phong Tan is serving her ten years’ imprisonment sentence plus five years’ house arrest since 5 September 2011 under Article 88 of the Penal Code. 6.6 Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh‘s complaint says: “At 5h AM on 18 May 2012, when I was praying, some 15 members of Camp T20’s board of education wardens equipped with rubber sticks, electric batons, pepper spray… came to open the cell to beat me. They forbade me from praying. Among those who beat me, I know exactly Captain Nguyen Anh Tuan, Quach Thi Hanh, Lieutenant- colonel Nguyen Dinh Oanh, Nguyen Dinh Bien, Lieutenant Tran Cao Cuong.” • Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh was arrested on 28 April 2011 and sentenced to 11 years in prison for “damaging national unity policy” as stipulated in Article 87 of the Penal Code. 6.7 On 9 April 2014, when Dang Xuan Dieu’s family visited him, they knew that he had staged hunger strike for 16 days because his complaint which he submitted to the camp’s authorities on 24 December 2013 was not handled. Also, he refused to wear the prison uniform for he thinks he is innocent. • Mr. Dang Xuan Dieu is a construction engineer, graduating from Da Nang University of Technology. Before his arrest on 27 August 2011, he had signed petitions to oppose bauxite mining in the Central Highlands and to call for freedom to the legal expert Cu Huy Ha Vu. He had also participated in protests against China’s invasion of Spratlys and Paracels… He was sentenced to 13 years in prison for his “attempt to overthrow the people’s government” as stipulated in Article 79. 6.8 Tran Minh Nhat và Tran Huu Duc staged hunger strike at Camp Phu Son in Thai Nguyen province to claim freedom of religion for legitimate Bible and religious books are not permitted there.
Tran Huu Duc’s relatives say those POCs there have been discriminated, insulted, and little by little hampered. They are not allowed to learn, to read books and newspapers, to possess Bible books, as well as other legitimate religious books. The cells are so cramped while inmates are being held inside all the time. There are no playgrounds at all. Prisoners’ State-
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sanctioned rations/portions are partly appropriated. Living water is always in shortage. Canteen’s food is 2-3-4 times more expensive than usual and are very difficult to buy (even buying a pair of slippers requires an application). Food bought from the canteen is not clean; POCs’ rice rations are always less than the the authorities’ ruled quantities…
• Tran Minh Nhat was arrested on 27 August 2011 and sentenced to 4 years in prison plus three years’ house arrest under Article 79. Tran Huu Duc was convicted of “propaganda against the State” with 39 months in prison plus one year’s house arrest since 2 August 2011. 6.9 When Dinh Nguyên Kha‘s mother visited him on 24 April 2014, he was on hunger strike to protest against maltreatment at Camp Xuyen Moc in Ba Ria–Vung Tau province. Kha said to his mother, “They use every method to terrorize my spirit. They don’t let me read those books and newspapers you sent me last month. They don’t let me receive our family’s pictures you sent; don’t let me watch CDs or TV, although these things are all available inside the camp. They don’t let me out to work, although others in next door’s cell are allowed to go out. I see the way they treat prisoners is very bad, and for prisoners’ rights I oppose them strongly. And I have been disciplined.” • Dinh Nguyen Kha was arrested on 11 October 2012 and sentenced to 4 years in prison plus three years’ house arrest under Article 88. 6.10 Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh‘s wife says that when visiting him on 21 May 2014 he told her that he had been under severe persecution at the camp. The reason was that he and some other prisoners had asked the camp’s authorities to open the cell windows and improving their diets to ensure prisoners’ health and to act against discrimination. Some POCs, including members of ethnic minorities, had sent out a letter calling for help without camp’s permission. The jailers then discovered it. They forced and enticed these ethnic people to file a complaint to accuse Pastor Chinh of persuading them into doing this.
On 17 May, the camp’s police held a public denouncement of Pastor Chinh in front of the prisoners in order to threaten those who dare speak out. During this denouncement, Pastor Chinh said, they insulted and dishonored him every way at their fancy.
6.11 POC Ho Thi Bich Khuong usually denounces the officers’ wrongdoings. Repeatedly, she is placed in solitary confinement, being cut off rations, drinking water and forbidden from bathing and washing. Especially on 29 March 2014, in a discipline cell of the camp, an officer on duty, named Ha Thi Lien, beat her severely, arrogantly saying that “I’m police, I will beat you to death. How dare you accuse police?” Having staged hunger strike for ten days already, she fell into unconsciousness due to exhaustion and being beaten. The camp’s authorities had to take her to the hospital for emergency treatment. • Mrs. Ho Thi Bich Khuong was arrested on 15 January 2011 and sentenced to 5 years in prison plus three years’ house arrest for “propaganda against the State”. 6.12 Mrs. Mai Thi Dung is maltreated and suppressed. Mrs. Dung is currently suffered from gallstone pain, heart failure, and nervous breakdown, but the camp’s authorities don’t examine and treat her. There is one inmate rendering support beside her every time she goes out to meet her relatives.
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Mr. Buu said he visited his wife on 1 August 2014. Her health was very bad. He was especially angry when Mrs. Dung sent out a note detailing her pain symptoms in order that he buys the medicine for her; the officers snatched and confiscated it, not letting her send it out.
• Mrs. Mai Thi Dung was sentenced to 11 years in prison for “disturbing public order”, counting from 5 August 2005. 6.13 After their visit to his camp on 12 August, Dang Xuan Dieu’s relatives said that they weren’t allowed to meet him. He wrote out to inform “I haven’t received lunches for 142 days, and at present I lack drinking water; the drinking water they provide me is very dirty.” Mr. Dang Xuan Ha, POC Dang Xuan Dieu’s older brother, said that Dieu didn’t go out to meet them but he did write out to inform that he had been disciplined for ten days during which his legs were fettered to a stone tank. Near Tet festival, he was totally not delivered lunches for 142 times regardless on hunger strike or not, and lacking drinking water. The drinking water they provided was very dirty. Dieu counted since he was admitted to Camp No. 5. 6.14 PoC Tran Van Sang was beaten in prison so severely that he had to sit in a wheelchair every time he goes out to meet his lawyer. His mother, Mrs. Do Thi Luyen, 78, one of the land petitioners at Duong Noi village, said that her son was maltreated in prison: “Lawyer Tran Thu Nam met my son just days ago and told me that my son was led out [to meet his lawyer] on wheelchair, they [the camp’s officers] had beaten him on his sides and his back… he could not walk himself.” • Tran Van Sang was arrested on 26 March 2014 and sentenced to 20 months in jail for “resisting persons in the performance of their official duties”. 6.15 POC Nguyen Dinh Cuong‘s family said Cuong was on hunger strike. He was being disciplined and shackled at ankles: “When we received the second phone call on 9 September, an anonymous person told us that Cuong was on his third day of hunger strike. He was being disciplined and shackled at ankle. They revealed the reason for Cuong’s being shackled is that he had spoken out to defend one of his inmates who was being beaten by the officers…” • Nguyen Dinh Cuong was arrested on 24 December 2011 and sentenced to 4 years in prison plus three years’ house arrest under Article 79. 6.16 Nguyen Dang Minh Man and Ho Thi Bich Khuong staged hunger strike to protest against their discipline at Camp No. 5 in Thanh Hoa province.
In the afternoon of 5 December 2014, POC Nguyen Dang Minh Man made a phone call to her mother Dang Ngoc Minh for 5 minutes. Mrs. Minh said, “The camp’s educator-wadens took Minh Man to the discipline area. They locked all three layers of doors. The detainee cannot go in and out, almost like being put in solitary confinement while she did nothing wrong. Minh Man and Bich Khuong have staged hunger strike for eight days. Minh Man’s health is weak. She won’t stop until they let her out, if nothing changes, she won’t eat again. Minh Man asked me to buy her some medicine.”
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• POC Nguyen Dang Minh Man was arrested on 21 July 2011 and serving her sentence of 8 years’ imprisonment plus five years’ house arrest under Article 79.
CHAPTER 4: SUPPRESSION OF INDEPENDENT RELIGION ORGANIZATIONS
The Vietnamese authorities have been jailing and discouraging religious believers, as well as prohibiting independent religions from performing their worship ever since 1975.
At the UN Human Rights Councils, many state members put forward:
Recommendation 142. Adopt further measures aimed at better guaranteeing freedom of religion, particularly by eliminating bureaucratic and administrative obstacles, which hinder the activities carried out by religious communities and groups (Italy);
1. Prohibition of worship and gathering Recommendation 143. Reduce administrative obstacles and registration requirements applicable to peaceful religious activities by registered and non-registered religious groups in order to guarantee freedom of religion or belief (Canada);
1.1 Le Cong Cau: On the morning of 1 January 2014, police arrested and detained Mr. Le Cong Cau, a human rights defender and Buddhist Youth leader, when he was on an airplane about to fly from Hue to Saigon. He was then interrogated for 13 hours in a row before being set free. 1.2 On 8 January 2014, nearly 100 policemen in Thua Thien–Hue province blocked Long Quang Pagoda so that no one could go in and out. At 6PM, the Pagoda’s internet cable was cut off. Monks, nuns, and Buddhists were all detained, questioned, threatened and banned from going to Long Quang Pagoda (at Tu Ha Ward, Huong Tra Town) to attend the Patriarch Memorial Ceremony. This is the traditional Death Anniversary in memory of the founding master of Buddhism who has been teaching Dharma in Vietnam for the past 2000 years.
Ven. Thich Chon Tam escaped police’s blockade in southern province thanks to his early departure to Hue City and dwelled at Long Quang Pagoda. But at 9 AM on 7 January 2014, Quang (Huong Tra Town’s public security officer) and Loc (Vice Chairman of Huong Tra Town People’s Committee) came to Long Quang Pagoda to have questions with the Pagoda, focusing on those who had come to stay and attending the ceremony. Among those monks and Buddhists who had been blocked is Ven. Thich Thanh Quang (Danang province); Ven. Thich Chon Tam (An Giang); Ven. Thich Nguyen Ly, Head of Finance Department and Social Charity (Saigon); Youth Leader Nguyen Tat Truc (Thua Thien Hue); Hoang Nhu Dao; Hoang Thi Hong Phuong, Van Dinh Tat, Nguyen Sac, Ngo Duc Tien, Van Tien Nhi, Truong Dien Hieu, Nguyen Tat Truc, Nguyen Dinh Mong.
1.3 Ven. Thich Chon Tam, staying at Tu Hieu Pagoda (Ward No.1, District No.8, Saigon), was approached by Muon, Head of Public Security of Ward No.1 (District No.8) to inform that the
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Municipal Authorities did not allow him to stay here and that he must leave Tu Hieu Pagoda to go back to An Giang province.
Previously, Ven. Thich Chan Tam resided lawfully at Tay Hue Pagoda (Nui Sam Ward, Chau Doc City, An Giang province). But in the year 2006, “Nui Sam Ward’s authorities in cooperation with the Executive Council of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, expelled him out of Tay Hue Pagoda three times for the reason that he followed the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, which is condemned by the government as illegal”. Since then, wherever he goes, whatever pagoda he arrives at, he is driven and/or expelled away by local authorities.
1.4 At 11h30 PM on 3 July 2014, Mr. Hua Phi of Cao Dai religion got in a car to go from Lam Dong to Saigon in order to meet his brethren, but his car was stopped by traffic police; they took away all the car’s documents. After an exchange of arguments, the police returned the car’s documents, but forced Mr. Hua Phi to go back home.
Mrs. Nguyen Bach Phung also said, “At 9pm on 3 July 2014, six policemen of Vinh Long province came to Mr. Nguyen Kim Lan’s home to pressure on him. They said that if Mr. Lan is going to go Lien Tri Pagoda next day for the meeting, he would have to accept all the consequences.”
1.5 At 9h30 PM on 13 July 2014, at Nguyen Kim Lan‘s home (No. 191/8A, Lo Ren Str., Section 1, Ward 4, Vinh Long City, Vinh Long province), while Mr. Lan and his brethren were hosting a bimonthly meeting to discuss religious dogmas and their difficulties, some ten public servants and policemen came in to check household registration and harassing them.
The authorities said that they are not harassing, but only coming to ask for the reason for such a large gathering; if Nguyen Kim Lan did not register or ask for permission, they would come again. Mrs. Nguyen Bach Phung replied “if the authorities are not harassing us then what’s the reason for you to come here, with local policemen, public security officers, night-watchmen… you are here to terrify us.”
1.6 On 23 August 2014, at Hoa Hao Buddhist Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan’s home (No. 182/2 Thoi Trinh A, Thoi An Ward, O Mon District, Can Tho City), there was an annual requiem. Many days before, the police had patrolled noisily and guarded the house. A strong force of police in various uniforms was deployed. They set up commanding positions at river ports and alleys in order to block Hoa Hao Buddhist followers from attending the requiem, intending to jeopardize the mass celebrated for the repose of the souls of the dead. Particularly, Mr. Nguyen Van Dien (76) from Phong Hoa (Dong Thap province) was stopped by dozens of policemen with clubs, electric rods when he got on a ferry-boat at Thoi An (Can Tho City), just nearly 100m away from Mrs. Lan’s house. 1.7 On 13 August 2014, a group of more than 100 Cao Dai followers (not those from state- controlled faction) were harassed by the local authorities and thugs: they were hailed down with rank shrimp liquid and human excrement as they were worshipping according to the religion’s tradition. The incident happened at Mr. Pham Van Dam’s home at Section 13, Hao Duoc commune, Chau Thanh district, Tay Ninh province.
The victims called 113 police, but they ignored. Instead, they incited local thugs to blow off fellow guests’ motorbike wheels.
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2. Beating religious clerks, monks and believers Recommendation 172. Take measures to ensure freedom of association, peaceful assembly and demonstration (France)
2.1 The private house of Hoa Hao Buddhist follower Nguyen Van Vinh was raided on Mar 21 by around 300 policemen led by Nguyen Van My, Deputy Head of police of Cho Moi district, An Giang province when the followers were organizing a praying ceremony. Several days earlier, 30 other followers overcame police's prevention to gather in Vinh's house to prepare the event.
At 6 pm of Mar 21, armed policemen came with special vehicles and raided in Vinh's house. They detained all people, including elderly and children. Along with handcuffing all followers, police confiscated all cameras, cell phones and other things used in the ceremony. Mrs. Tran Thi Xinh, 81, was pulled out to the road without dresses by policemen. Many others were also beaten badly.
2.2 On Mar 24, Monk Vo Van Thanh Liem held a ceremony in Quang Minh Tu Pagoda to mark the death of Buddha Master Huynh Phu So who was assassinated by Communists in 1947. Several days earlier, local police blocked all roads lead to the pagoda and banned followers from gathering there. Mr. Vo Van Buu successfully arrived near the pagoda but not allowed to come in. Until 1 pm, police did forbid monks and followers to pray, so followers went home by their motorbikes. Mr. Buu and Mr. To Van Manh went to a bus station about 30 meters from the pagoda where Buu was attacked by thugs. 2.3 On Apr 9 Mr. Bui Van Luot, head of the Hoa Hao Buddhists Church in Vinh Long province and Le Van Soc together with two other followers and Luot's maternal grandchild, Tuong Vi, were attacked by plainclothes agents.
The incident happened after they had attended a pray at the house of Mrs. Tran Thi Tuyet in Thanh Trung commune, Binh Tan district. On their return way by motorbikes, they were chased and attacked by plainclothes agents on the high speed motorbikes without number plate. They used wooden batons to hit Luot's legs and kicked Vi, making her fallen unconsciously. Mr. Soc left his motorbike and ran into a private house nearby, but the attackers chased him and beat him on the back and chest. The agents stopped beating them until the local residents came and rescued the victims.
2.4 On May 25 Buddhist Venerable Thich Vinh Phuoc led a delegation of Buddhists from Ba Ria- Vung Tau province to attend the funeral of Mrs. Le Thi Tuyet Mai in Saigon. Mrs Tuyet immolated herself earlier to protest China's aggression on Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea. Their car was followed by motorbikes of security agents of Ba Ria- Vung Tau. When arriving at Saigon Bridge, the car was stopped by traffic police who took away driving license of driver Nguyen Thanh Trung, accusing him of committing traffic violation. Driver Trung insisted that he did not commit any fault and denied the fabricated charge. After long arguing, Venerable Phuoc told the policemen that "The country is under China's threat, so policemen should fight for Hoang Sa (Paracels) and Truong Sa (Spratlys) instead of suppressing people who are going to attend the funeral of a woman sacrificing her life to protect the country's sovereignty. You should not act in this bad way. I did nothing wrong, and I know that you are following us immediately after we left. You are trying to cause trouble."
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Immediately, one agent insulted the monk and beating him while other policemen watched.
2.5 On June 9, the Protestant Mennonite Church in Binh Duong province were attacked by policemen, mobile policemen 113, militia and mob. They used stone and brick to throw at the church where 29 pastors and 47 followers staying in. After that, policemen and militia raided in and beat 29 people. Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang was beaten twice. Many beaten students fell unconscious but police blocked all roads and not allowed the injured people to be transferred to the hospital. Mennonite followers and pastors were arrested as criminals on 9 June 2.6 From 1 to 2 November, the Protestant Mennonite Church in Binh Duong province was attacked by police-sponsored thugs. They threw bricks and stones at the church and attacking followers. Many fell unconscious and severe injuries. Then the thugs withdrew outside but continued throwing bricks and stones at the church. Other followers from outside came to help, but they were also attacked by security agents by using helmets to beat them at the head. Mrs. Thao, the wife of Pastor Huong, was beaten to unconscious, and Pastor Huong was beaten severely when he went out to try to rescue her.
Policemen and thugs attacked the church for nine consecutive days.
2.7 At 10 am of Sunday Nov 16, when pastors and followers of Chuong Bo Protestant Church were praying at the residence of Pastor Nguyen Manh Hung in Di An town, Binh Duong province, a group of about 20 policemen, Dong Hoa ward cadres and thugs raided in.
Hearing their steps on the stairs, Pastor Hung encountered and asked the reason of raiding; one policeman replied “coming to check household registration”. Hung said there is no law of day time checking, and then one security agent stepped forward to do a chokehold on him, pressing him on the floor.
2.8 On the morning of Nov 22, the authorities of Xuyen Moc district, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province seized a piece of land including the gate of Phuoc Buu Pagoda. They then erected a new gate with the name "Ap Van Hoa" (cultural gate) of Thach Son 1A village. When monks and Buddhists took photos, policemen from Phuoc Thuan commune and Xuyen Moc district confiscated cameras. Monk Thich Thien Tam protested but beaten severely by policemen. Police detained him and two Buddhists, namely Ha Phi Cuong and Nguyen Van Thuan.
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2.9 On Dec 2, a delegation of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church went to attend a praying for late Le Van Chinh in Tan Binh commune, Binh Tan district, Vinh Long province. Security agents kept patrolling near the site.
After visiting the mother of Dao Minh Truyen, a senior monk of the Church, the delegation returned home. On the national road No. 54 in the areas of Thanh Loi commune, Binh Tan district, Le Van Soc and Bui Van Luot were attacked by thugs on four motorbikes. When thug's motorbikes collided accidentally each other, Soc and Luot successfully escaped into the district army headquarters, where military officers intervened, so the police-sponsored thugs left.
3. Demolition of religious facilities Recommendation 173. Facilitate the development of a safe and enabling environment for all civil society actors to freely associate and express their views by ensuring that national legislative provisions are not invoked to stifle legitimate and peaceful dissent (Ireland)
3.1 State seizing properties of the Redemptory Church Thai Ha.
In late October, the Hanoi government allowed a construction company to build infrastructure in an area of Ba Giang Lake which belongs to the Redemptory Church of Thai Ha. On Oct 21, the Church leaders filed an urgent compalint to the city's authorities. However, they received an answer that the municipal People's Committee already issued decision for infrastructure development on the area.
As many as 18 civil society organizations by a petition have voiced to demand Hanoi's authorities to respect law and stop trespassing religious facilities, as well as returning Ba Giang Lake to the Church.
3.2 The Protestant Preach Church in Quang Ngai province has filed a complaint that accused the provincial authorities of illegal seizure of the church's land. According to the church, it has the right to use a piece of land in line with the Document 181 of the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment. The church paid land use tax for the 1993-1999 period. In recent months, the provincial authorities illegally took the land and gave it to a number of local residents, allowing them to sell the land. 3.3 Lien Tri Pagoda (Luong Dinh Cua street, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City) belongs to Delegation of Vietnamese United Buddhists Church is the place hosting a number meetings of independent CSOs. It has been under regular surveillance of the security police. Since September 2014, the pagoda has been under great pressure from the city's authorities. They demanded monks to leave the pagoda, or they will send forces to demolish it.
Venerable Thich Khong Tanh, the chief monk of the pagoda informed that the authorities had sent many letters demanding the displacement of the pagoda. Monks of the pagoda and priests of a Christian church nearby have asked to be remained in this area but it seems the city's authorities have determined to remove all religious facilities in the areas which will be turned into new urban areas.
3.4 Hmong ethnic people in Khuy Vin village, Ly Bon commune, Bao Lam district, Cao Bang province informed that on Oct 14, the local authorities came and burned a funeral house (Nha Don) where people
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placed items to pray for the dead. Some ethnic people were beaten by policemen while protesting the demolition.
Policemen and militia demolished their funeral house without any notice. They beat people and sprayed fuel to burn the house roof, the people said.
CHAPTER 5: CURRENT NUMBER OF PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE
Recommendation 174. Take concrete steps to create a friendly environment for NGOs, including by easing their registration requirements (Czech Republic);
Recommendation 175. Enact laws to provide for and regulate freedom of assembly and peaceful demonstration in line with ICCPR (Australia);
Prisoners of conscience are those who have been promoting human rights by peaceful methods regardless how they are facing severe beatings, suppression, insults and subjected to imprison or other confinements. They may be bloggers, journalists, political dissidents, land petitioners, students or any social class.
The number of farmers whose land has been illegally grabbed by the authorities of all levels is climbing up, and many of them have been jailed. Vietnam's government has abused Article 245- disturbing public orders or Article 257- conducting activities against on-duty state officials, to suppress land petitioners. They are prisoners of conscience since their right to possess land has been denied, and their peaceful
petition have been responded by imprisonment.
There are at least 105 prisoners of conscience, according the data of the Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience. However, the number could be higher due to lack of the exact information, or the information cannot clarify. The ethnic people jailing under Article 87- Undermining the unity policy and other Articles are the examples.
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Among 105 prisoners of conscience, Phan Van Thu, the member of the Bia Son Religious Council, was sentenced to life imprisonment, the heaviest sentence. His colleagues, Le Duy Loc and Vuong Tan Son were sentenced to 17 years in prison for each.
Ngo Hao, Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, Doan Dinh Nam, Vo Tiet, Nguyen Ngoc Cu, Nguyen Ky Lac, Ta Khu, Tu Thien Luong and Vo Thanh Le are serving their 16-year imprisonment.
Mrs. Vo Thi Thanh Thuy, the wife of Phan Van Thu, in her letter, wrote "During interrogation, the investigator picked two of the songs my husband composed. He then forced him to pick one of these two songs as the national anthem. From the ground of the eco-tourism area, investigators found a rock on which a turtle was painted. They forcibly declared that it was our national symbol. They also selected a Buddhist flag – the one depicting infinite mercy and forgiveness – and forcibly declared that it was our national flag. Never mind that we never had any flag. A manager of the company once picked up a stone in the eco-tourism area after a landslide. He did so because the stone had markings that looked like some Chinese character. The investigators declared that the rock was our national seal. These unilateral declarations from the investigators were all they had to charge my husband and his followers for the crime of plotting to overthrow the government."
The Vietnamese government has often used Article 79- Carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people's administration, to suppress peaceful political and religious activists. Currently, 40 political and religious activists are imprisoned by this Article.
There are 19 activists imprisoned for Article 88- Conducting anti-state propaganda; 15 jailed under Article 258- Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens; while 16 victims are imprisoned under Article 245- Causing public disorders; 7 jailed under Article 257- Resisting persons in the performance of their official duties.
Here is the list of 105 prisoners of conscience
No. Name YoB Arrest Sentence House arrest Article(*) (year) (year) 1. BÙI THỊ MINH HẰNG 1964 11/2/2014 3 - 245 2. BÙI VĂN THÂM 1987 26/7/2012 2.5 - 257 3. BÙI VĂN TRUNG 1964 30/10/2012 4 - 257 4. CẤN THỊ THÊU 1962 25/4/2014 15 months - 257 5. CAO VĂN TỈNH 1974 22/2/2010 4.5 4 79 6. DƯƠNG KIM KHẢI 1958 10/8/2010 5 5 79 7. DƯƠNG THỊ TRÒN 1947 2/10/2006 9 - 245 8. DƯƠNG VĂN PHƯỚC 1962 20/3/2014 22 months - 257 9. DƯƠNG VĂN THẢ 1960 11/2012 3 - 121 10. DƯƠNG VĂN THÀNH 1982 2/2014 2 - 258 11. DƯƠNG VĂN TU 1967 11/2013 19 months - 258 12. ĐẶNG THỊ MÌ 1955 4/9/2014 26 months - 245 13. ĐẶNG XUÂN DIỆU 1988 27/8/2011 13 5 79 14. ĐINH NGUYÊN KHA 1988 11/10/2012 4 3 88 15. ĐINH VĂN NHƯỢNG 1958 7/6/2011 4 3 88 16. ĐỖ ĐÌNH DŨ 1959 25/6/2014 3 - 258 17. ĐỖ NAM TRUNG 1981 15/5/2014 245 18. ĐỖ THỊ HỒNG 1957 10/2/2012 13 - 79
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19. ĐỖ THỊ NHƯ 1950 4/9/2014 26 months - 245 20. ĐỖ THỊ THIÊM 1959 4/9/2014 28 months - 245 21. ĐỖ VĂN HOA 1966 16/6/2011 4 3 88 22. ĐỖ VĂN HÀO 1961 4/9/2014 28 months - 245 23. ĐỖ VĂN QUÝ 1965 4/9/2014 28 months - 245 24. ĐOÀN ĐÌNH NAM 1951 6/2/2012 16 - 79 25. ĐOÀN HUY CHƯƠNG 1985 12/2/2010 7 - 88 26. ĐOÀN VĂN CƯ 1962 10/2/2012 14 - 79 27. HỒ ĐỨC HÒA 1974 30/7/2012 13 5 79 28. HỒ THỊ BÍCH KHƯƠNG 1967 15/1/2011 5 3 88 29. HỒNG LÊ THỌ 1949 30/11/2014 258 (NGƯỜI LÓT GẠCH) 30. HOÀNG KHƯƠNG 1974 2/1/2012 4 - 289 (NG VĂN KHƯƠNG) 31. HOÀNG VĂN SANG 1964 11/2013 1.5 - 258 32. HOÀNG VĂN SINH 1986 2/2014 15 months - 258 33. HOÀNG VĂN SỰ 1989 2/2014 1.5 - 258 34. HUỲNH ĐỨC MINH 1958 17/7/2014 3 - 230 35. LÊ DUY LỘC 1956 5/2/2012 17 - 79 36. LÊ ĐỨC ĐỘNG 1983 5/2/2012 12 - 79 37. LÊ PHÚC 1951 5/2/2012 15 - 79 38. LÊ QUỐC QUÂN 1971 27/12/2012 2.5 - 161 39. LÊ THANH TÙNG 1965 1/12/2011 4 4 88 40. LÊ THỊ PHƯƠNG ANH 1984 15/5/2014 245 41. LÊ TRỌNG CƯ 1966 5/2/2012 12 - 79 42. LÊ VĂN SƠN (PAULUS) 1985 3/8/2011 13 5 79 43. LƯƠNG NHẬT QUANG 1987 23/11/2012 12 - 79 44. LÝ VĂN DINH 1965 11/2013 15 months - 258 45. MAI THỊ DUNG 1969 5/8/2005 11 - 245 46. NGÔ HÀO 1948 8/2/2013 16 - 79 47. NGÔ THỊ MINH ƯỚC 1057 8/7/2014 88
48. NGÔ THỊ TOAN 1965 4/9/2014 26 months - 245
49. NGUYỄN CÔNG CHÍNH 1964 28/4/2011 11 - 87
50. NGUYỄN DINH 1968 23/11/2012 14 - 79 51. NGUYỄN ĐẶNG MINH MẪN 1985 2/8/2011 8 4 79 52. NGUYỄN ĐÌNH CƯƠNG 1981 24/12/2011 4 3 79 53. NGUYỄN ĐÌNH NGỌC 1966 27/12/2014 258 (NGUYỄN NGỌC GIÀ) 54. NGUYỄN ĐỨC ĐÔNG ANH 1989 2/1/2012 4 - 289 55. NGUYỄN HOÀNG QUỐC HUNG 1981 23/2/2010 9 - 88 56. NGUYỄN KIM NHÀN 1949 7/6/2011 5.5 4 88 57. NGUYỄN KỲ LẠC 1951 6/2/2012 16 - 79 58. NGUYỄN NGỌC CƯỜNG 1956 2/4/2011 7 - 88 59. NGUYỄN QUANG LẬP 1956 6/12/2014 258 60. NGUYỄN THÁI BÌNH 1986 23/11/2012 12 - 79
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61. NGUYỄN THỊ ÁNH NGUYỆT 1973 10/9/2013 3 - 245 62. NGUYỄN T BÉ HAI 1952 8/7/2014 88 63. NGUYỄN THỊ THÚY QUỲNH 1986 2/2014 2.5 - 245 64. NGUYỄN THỊ TRÍ 1958 8/7/2014 88 65. NGUYỄN THỊ TUYỀN 1957 10/9/2013 2 - 245 66. NGUYỄN VĂN DUYỆT 1981 7/8/2011 4 3 79 67. NGUYỄN VĂN HỮU 1957 17/7/2014 4 - 230 68. NGUYỄN VĂN LÍA 1940 22/4/2011 4.5 - 258 69. NGUYỄN VĂN LÝ 1946 18/2/2007 8 5 88 70. NGUYỄN VĂN MINH 1980 2/2014 2 - 245 71. NGUYỄN VĂN OAI 1980 30/7/2011 3 2 79 72. NGUYỄN VĂN TƯ 1949 28/6/2012 2.5 - 258 (TƯ HỒNG) 73. NÔNG HÙNG ANH 1989 5/8/2011 5 3 79 74. PHẠM MINH VŨ 1992 15/5/2014 245 75. PHẠM THỊ LỘC 1958 2012 3.5 3 88 76. PHẠM THỊ PHƯỢNG 1945 15/4/2010 11 - 79 77. PHẠM VĂN THÔNG 1962 19/7/2010 7 5 79 78. PHAN NGỌC TUẤN 1953 10/8/2011 5 - 88 79. PHAN THANH TƯỜNG 1987 28/2/2012 10 - 79 80. PHAN THANH Ý 1948 23/11/2012 14 - 79 81. PHAN VĂN THU 1948 5/2/2012 life - 79 (TRẦN CÔNG) 82. PHÙNG LÂM 1966 21/6/2010 7 - 88 83. TẠ KHU 1947 6/2/2012 16 - 79 84. TẠ PHONG TẦN 1968 5/9/2011 10 5 88 85. THÁI VĂN DUNG 1989 18/8/2011 4 4 79 86. THÀO QUÁN MUA 1964 11/2013 1.5 - 258 87. TRẦN HUỲNH DUY THỨC 1966 24/5/2009 16 5 79 88. TRÂN MINH NHẬT 1988 27/8/2011 4 3 79 89. TRẦN PHI DŨNG 1966 10/2/2012 13 - 79 90. TRẦN QUÂN 1984 10/2/2012 12 - 79 91. TRẦN THỊ THÚY 1971 10/8/2010 8 5 79 92. TRẦN VĂN MIÊN 1960 26/3/2014 22 months - 257 93. TRẦN VĂN SANG 1975 26/3/2014 20 months - 257 94. TRẦN VŨ ANH BÌNH 1975 19/9/2011 6 2 88 95. TRỊNH BÁ KHIÊM 1958 25/4/2014 15 months - 257 96. TRƯƠNG DUY NHẤT 1964 26/5/2013 2 - 258 97. TỪ THIỆN LƯƠNG 1950 23/11/2012 16 - 79 98. VIỆT KHANG 1978 23/12/2011 4 2 88 (VÕ MINH TRÍ) 99. VÕ NGỌC CƯ 1951 6/2/2012 16 - 79 100. VÕ THÀNH LÊ 1955 5/2/2012 16 - 79 101. VÕ TIẾT 1952 23/11/2012 16 - 79 102. VÕ VĂN PHỤNG 1950 17/7/2014 3 - 230 103. VÕ VIẾT DZIỄN 1971 19/4/2012 3 3 79 104. VỪ A SỬ 1989 11/2013 2 - 258
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105. VƯƠNG TẤN SƠN 1953 10/2/2012 17 - 79
(*) Please see Notes at the end of Appendix
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION
Recommendation 58. Continue raising the awareness of the population through human rights education programmes (Mali);
Recommendation 63.Strengthen human rights education to ensure that the population is better informed (Djibouti);
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh told the Tuoi Tre newspaper after Vietnam won a seat in the UN Human Rights Council: "As a member of the council, we have a chance to promote our point of view, stance, policy and law and sharing our experiences on ensuring human rights, especially about building rule of law, promoting roles of the national assembly; reforming judicial system; respecting and ensuring human rights in economy, culture and civil, polity; attaining good results in poverty eradication; ensuring food security and social welfare, effectively realizing Millennium goal on development. By which we deny the distorted information on Vietnam's democracy and human rights."
Not only the Vietnam authorities have no program to educate human rights for police and security forces, they also have halted these activities which aim to promote people's understanding about human rights. They have applied the different measures to suppress, intimidate and imprison human rights defenders.
The evil axis of thug - police - security force - court - prison has formed a dark force to scatter fear upon the lives of political dissidents and human rights activists.
In 2014, Vietnam released 13 prisoners of conscience before their jail term ended, including Dinh Dang Dinh, Nguyen Huu Cau, Cu Huy Ha Vu, Nguyen Tien Trung, Vi Duc Hoi, Do Thi Minh Hanh, Tran Tu, Nguyen Tuan Nam, Tran Hoang Giang, Nguyen Long Hoi, Le Van Tinh, Nguyen Van Hai aka Dieu Cay and Giang A Chu. These releases are welcomed by all.
However, whether the Vietnam authorities have a good will to improve human rights or not when they have acted to the contrary?
During the year of 2014, the government arrested 46 political dissidents and human rights defenders. Currently they put behind bars 105 prisoners of conscience. According to international human rights standards, the activities of these prisoners are not able to consider as criminal acts.
With these non-humanitarian and illegal actions, measures against its citizens, Vietnam's government has proven to be an authoritarian state that fails to respect international human rights standards, challenging the public opinions, as well as violating Vietnamese law. They have done all efforts to maintain the one- party regime. Their statements and activities relating to loose crackdown are only the temporary tactics to deal with international criticism like a chameleon. As long as the authoritarian communists govern Vietnam, human rights violations and law breaking still exist.
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Vietnam's government should implement fully its commitments on human rights, especially 182 recommendations of many foreign countries made on the Universal Periodic Review 2014 that Vietnam had supported.
Stop violence and torture!
Free 105 prisoners of conscience unconditionally and immediately.
APPENDIX The list of political dissidents and human rights defenders arrested and trialed in the 2006-2014 period.
2006 Name Jail term (year) House arrest Article NO. (year) 1. Huynh Nguyen Dao 2.5 2 88 2. Nguyen Bac Truyen 3 2 88 3. Le Nguyen Sang 4 2 88 4. Pham Ba Hai 5 2 88 5. Nguyen Ngoc Quang 3 2 88 6. Vu Hoang Hai 2 2 88 7. Truong Quoc Huy 6 3 88 8. Doan Van Dien 4.5 - 258 9. Tran Le Hong 3 - 258 10. Doan Huy Chuong 1.5 - 258 11. Phung Quang Quyen 1.5 - 258 12. Nguyen Van Tho 6 - 245 13. Duong Thi Tron 4+5=9 - 245 14. Le Van Soc 6 - 245 15. Nguyen Van Thuy (tu Tam) 5 - 245 16. Dang Ba Tong - - 88 17. Le Trung Hieu - - 88 18. Dieu Quyen 5 - 87
2007 Name Jail term (year) House arrest Article NO. (year) 1. Tran Quoc Hien 5 2 88 2. Nguyen Van Dai 4 4 88 3. Le Thi Cong Nhan 3 3 88 4. Truong Minh Duc 5 - 258 5. Nguyen Van Ly 8 5 88 6. Nguyen Phong 6 3 88 7. Nguyen Binh Thanh 5 2 88 8. Hoang Thi Anh Dao 3 2 88 9. Le Thi Le Hang 1.5 suspended 2 88 10. Le Quoc Quan 3 months - - 11. Tran Khai Thanh Thuy 9 months - 12. Tran Thi Hai 6 months - 245
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13. Nguyen Quoc Quan 6 months - 84 14. Truong Van Ba (Sy) 24 days - 84 (Truong Leon) 15. Nguyen Thi Thanh Van 24 days - 84 16. Somsak Khummi 9 months - 84 (Nguyen Quoc Hai) 17. Nguyen The Vu 5months+26days - 84 18. Nguyen Viet Trung 1 months - 84 19. Vu Trong Khiem 3 days - 84 20. Le Van Phan 18 days - 84 21. Nguyen Thi Thinh 18 days - 84 22. Nguyen Van Ngoc 4 3 258 23. Truong Minh Nguyet 4 3 258 24. Trinh Quoc Thao 2 2 258 25. Le Tri Tue Mất tích - - 26. Nguyễn Ngọc Thạch 1.5 - 245
2008 Name Jail term (year) House arrest Article NO. (year) 1. Nguyen Xuan Nghia 6 3 88 2. Nguyen Manh Son 3.5 3 88 3. Nguyen Van Tinh 3.5 3 88 4. Nguyen Van Tuc 4 3 88 5. Nguyen Kim Nhan 2 3 88 6. Ngo Quynh 3 3 88 7. Vu Van Hung 3 3 88 8. Pham Van Troi 4 4 88 9. Pham Thanh Nghien 4 3 88 10. Tran Duc Thach 3 3 88 11. Ho Thi Bich Khuong 2 - 258 12. Nguyen Viet Chien 2 - 281 13. Nguyen Van Hai 2 suspended - 281 14. Bui Kim Thanh 3 months - - 15. Lê Thị Kim Thu 1.5 - 245
2009 Name Jail term (year) House arrest Article NO. (year) 1. Duong Au 5 5 91 2. Truong Van Kim 3 3 91 3. Phung Quang Quyen 3.5 4 91 4. Nguyen Thi Tam 3 3 91 5. Tran Anh Kim 5.5 3 79 6. Le Cong Dinh 5 3 79 7. Tran Huynh Duy Thuc 16 5 79 8. Le Thang Long 3 3 79
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9. Nguyen Tien Trung 7 3 79 10. Le Thi Kim Thu 1.5 245 11. Tran Khai Thanh Thuy 3.5 - 104 12. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh 10 days - - 13. Lê Anh Hùng 8 months - - 14. Tran Ngoc Anh 15 months - 245
2010 Name Jail term (year) House arrest Article NO. (year) 1. Tran Thi Thuy 8 5 79 2. Pham Van Thong 7 5 79 3. Duong Kim Khai 5 5 79 4. Cao Van Tinh 4.5 4 79 5. Nguyen Chi Thanh 2 3 79 6. Nguyen Thanh Tam 2 3 79 7. Pham Ngoc Hoa 2 3 79 8. Nguyen Hoang Quoc Hung 9 - 88 9. Doan Huy Chuong 7 - 88 10. Do Thi Minh Hanh 7 - 88 11. Nguyen Ba Dang 3 - 88 12. Nguyen Van Hai 12 5 88 13. Phan Thanh Hai 3 4 88 14. Vi Duc Hoi 5 3 88 15. Cu Huy Ha Vu 7 3 88 16. Vu Duc Trung 3 - 226 17. Le Van Thanh 2 - 226 18. Le Van Manh - - - 19. Le Nguyen Huong Tra 6 months - 258 20. Pham Thi Phuong 11 - 79 21. Pham Ba Huy 3 months - - 22. Phung Lam 7 - 88 23. Tran Thi Hoang 22 months - -
2011 Name Jail term (year) House arrest Article NO. (year) 1. Dinh Van Nhuong 4 3 88 2. Do Van Hoa 4 3 88 3. Nguyen Kim Nhan 5.5 4 88 4. Nguyen Cong Chinh 11 - 87 5. Chu Manh Son 2.5 1 88 6. Dau Van Duong 3.5 1.5 88 7. Tran Huu Duc 3 year 3 months 1 88 8. Hoang Phong 1.5 - 88 9. Ho Duc Hoa 13 5 79 10. Dang Xuan Dieu 13 5 79
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11. Le Van Son 13 5 79 12. Nguyen Dang Minh Man 8 4 79 13. Nguyen Van Duyet 6 4 79 14. Nong Hung Anh 5 3 79 15. Dang Ngoc Minh 3 2 79 16. Thai Van Dung 5 3 79 17. Nguyen Dinh Cuong 4 3 79 18. Tran Minh Nhat 4 3 79 19. Nguyen Van Oai 3 2 79 20. Nguyen Xuan Anh 3 2 79 21. Ho Van Oanh 3 2 79 22. Nguyen Dang Vinh Phuc Suspended - 79 23. Dinh Dang Dinh 6 - 88 24. Ta Phong Tan 10 5 88 25. Tran Vu Anh Binh 6 2 88 26. Viet Khang 4 2 88 27. Ho Thi Bich Khuong 5 3 88 28. Nguyen Trung Ton 2 2 88 29. Le Thanh Tung 4 4 88 30. Nguyen Ngoc Cuong 7 - 88 31. Nguyen Ngoc Tuong Thi 2 - 88 32. Pham Thi Bich Chi 1.5 suspended - 88 33. Phan Ngoc Tuan 5 - 88 34. Nguyen Van Lia 4.5 - 258 35. Tran Hoai An 3 - 258 36. Nguyen Van Tuan 2 - 258 37. Bui Thi Minh Hang 6 months - - 38. Vu Quang Thuan 21 months - 91 39. Nguyen Trung Truc 21 months - 91 40. Quach Manh Tuan 21 months - 91 41. Nguyen Trung Linh 1 - 88 42. Lê Thị Ngọc Đa 2.5 - 245 43. Lư Văn Bảy 4 3 88 44. Vi Duc Hoi 5 3 88 45. Võ Thị Thu Thủy 4 - 88 46. Nguyen Van Thanh 3 - 88
2012 Name Jail term (year) House arrest Article NO. (year) 1. Dinh Nguyen Kha 4 3 88 2. Nguyen Phuong Uyen 3 suspended 3 88 3. Le Quoc Quan 2.5 - 161 4. Le Thi Kim Thu 2 - 143 5. Le Ngoc Thinh 14 months - 143 6. Le Ngoc Toan 8 months - 143 7. Doan Van Hieu 8 months - 143
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8. Doan Minh Hai 4 months - 143 9. Lo Thanh Thao 2 2 88 10. Nguyen Quoc Quan 9 months - 79 11. Vo Viet Dzien 3 3 79 12. Bui Van Trung 4 - 257 13. Bui Van Tham 2.5 - 257 14. Ho Thi Hue 2 - 258 15. Nguyen Bich Thuy 2 - 258 16. Nguyen Van Tu 2.5 - 258 17. Hoang Khuong 4 - 289 18. Nguyen Duc Dong Anh 4 - 289 19. Phan Van Thu (Tran Cong) life - 79 20. Vo Thanh Le 16 - 79 21. Nguyen Ky Lac 16 - 79 22. Vuong Tan Son 17 - 79 23. Vo Ngoc Cu 16 - 79 24. Ta Khu 16 - 79 25. Doan Dinh Nam 16 - 79 26. Tu Thien Luong 16 - 79 27. Vo Tiet 16 - 79 28. Le Duy Loc 17 - 79 29. Le Phuc 15 - 79 30. Nguyen Dinh 14 - 79 31. Doan Van Cu 14 - 79 32. Phan Thanh Y 14 - 79 33. Do Thi Hong 13 - 79 34. Tran Phi Dung 13 - 79 35. Le Trong Cu 12 - 79 36. Tran Quan 12 - 79 37. Le Duc Dong 12 - 79 38. Nguyen Thai Binh 12 - 79 39. Phan Thanh Tuong 10 - 79 40. Luong Nhat Quang 12 - 79 41. Nguyen Trung Linh 1 - - 42. Nguyen Duy Hung - - 263 43. Nguyen Thi Bich Trang - - 258 44. Tran Thi Hai 9 months - 245 45. Pham Nguyen Thanh Binh 3 3 88 46. Phạm Chí Dũng 6 months - 79 47. Phạm Thị Lộc 3.5 3 88 48. Dương Văn Thả 3 - 121
2013 Name Jail term (year) House arrest Article NO. (year) 1. Ngô Hào 15 - 79 2. Đinh Nhật Uy 4.5 months 15 months suspended 258
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3. Trương Duy Nhất 2 - 258 4. Pham Viết Đào 15 months - 258 5. Nguyễn Thị Ánh Nguyệt 3 245 6. Nguyễn Thị Tuyền 2 245 7. Hoàng Văn Sang 1.5 258 8. Thào Quán Mua 1.5 258 9. Dương Văn Tu 19 months 258 10. Lý Văn Dinh 17 months 258 11. Vừ A Tu 2 258
2014 Name Jail term (year) House arrest Article NO. (year) 1. Bùi Thị Minh Hằng 3 245 2. Nguyễn Thị Thúy Quỳnh 2.5 - 245 3. Nguyền Văn Minh 2 - 245 4. Dương Văn Thành 2 - 258 5. Hoàng Văn Sử 15 months - 258 6. Hoàng Văn Sinh 15 months - 258 7. Dương Văn Phước 22 months - 257 8. Đỗ Văn Đức 20 months suspended - 257 9. Nguyễn Văn Song 20 months suspended - 257 10. Dương Thủ Dũng 30 months suspended - 257 11. Dương Thủ Đức 15 months suspended - 257 12. Dương Thủ Hiền 15 months suspended - 257 13. Cấn Thị Thêu 15 months 257 14. Trịnh Bá Khiêm 15 months 257 15. Lê Văn Thanh 7 months 257 16. Nguyễn Thị Ngân 6 months 257 17. Nguyễn Thị Toàn 6 months 257 18. Trần Văn Miên 22 months 257 19. Trần Văn Sang 20 months 257 20. Nguyễn Hữu Vinh 258 21. Nguyễn Thị Minh Thúy 258 22. Lê Thị Phương Anh 245 23. Phạm Minh Vũ 245 24. Đỗ Nam Trung 245 25. Nguyễn Văn Hữu 4 - 230 26. Huỳnh Đức Minh 3 - 230 27. Võ Văn Phụng 3 - 230 28. Đỗ Thị Thiêm 28 months - 245 29. Đỗ Văn Quý 28 months - 245 30. Đỗ Văn Hào 28 months - 245 31. Ngô Thị Toan 26 months - 245 32. Đặng Thị Mỳ 26 months - 245 33. Ngô Thị Như 26 months - 245 34. Ngô Thị Đức 28 months suspended - 245
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35. Đặng Thị Nhu 28 months suspended - 245 36. Đỗ Thi Thiêm (Trinh) 36 months suspended - 245 37. Nguyễn Thị Chiến 36 months suspended - 245 38. Vũ Thị Thảo 36 months suspended - 245 39. Ngô Thị Thoa 36 months suspended - 245 40. Nguyễn Thị Bé Hai 88 41. Ngô Thị Minh Ước 88 42. Nguyễn Thị Trí 88 43. Hồng Lê Thọ 258 44. Nguyễn Quang Lập 88 45. Nguyễn Đình Ngọc 258 46. Đỗ Đình Dũ 3 - 258 Notes:
Article 79: Carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people's administration
Article 87- Undermining the unity policy
Article 88- Conducting anti-state propaganda
Article 91.- Fleeing abroad or defecting to stay overseas with a view to opposing the people’s administration
Article 104.- Intentionally inflicting injury on or causing harm to the health of other persons
Article 121- Humiliating other persons
Article 143.- Destroying or deliberately damaging property
Article 161- Tax evasion
Article 226.- Illegally using information in computer networks
Article 230- Illegally manufacturing, stockpiling, transporting, using, trading in or appropriating military weapons and/or technical means.
Article 245- Causing public disorders
Article 257- Resisting persons in the performance of their official duties
Article 258- Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens
Article 281.- Abusing positions and/or powers while performing official duties
Article 289- Offering bribes
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** Published on Jan 19, 2015 **
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