In the largest crackdown against dissidents in recent years in Vietnam, renowned jurist Nguyen Bac Truyen was abducted nearby his work place at the Catholic Redemptorist Church in Ho Chi Minh City on July 30, 2017. Later in the day a website of the state security announced that he was arrested along with three other activists on charges of “acting to overthrow the people’s government” under Art. 79 of the Vietnamese Penal Code (VPC). They are allegedly connected to lawyer Nguyen Van Dai and his assistant, who have already been detained without trial since December 2015 and are now accused of the same charge.[i] If convicted the six persons could... Read more »
On the occasion of the G20 Summit in Hamburg (Germany) 40 human rights and civil society organizations in Europe, USA and Asia call the Vietnamese Prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to immediately and unconditionally release three prominent human rights defenders from three different religious communities and all other prisoners of conscience detained in Vietnam. The Most Venerable Thích Quảng Độ, Mr. Nguyễn Văn Đài and Ms. Đỗ Thị Hồng have been arbitrarily detained, without the due process protections afforded to them under international law, the open letter states. Thích Quảng Độ, an 89 year-old Buddhist monk and leader of the independent Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), is Vietnam’s longest-detained... Read more »
On April 5, 2017, the German Association of Judges (GAJ) has awarded the Human Rights Price 2017 to the Vietnamese lawyer Nguyen Van Dai. Dai is currently held incommunicado in Vietnam and his wife was banned on traveling to Germany to receive the price. During the celebration in Weimar city, Mr. Vu Quoc Dung, Executive Director of veto! Human Rights Defenders’ Network, received the price statue and certificate on behalf of human rights defender Nguyen Van Dai. An empty chair with his image on the stage pointed out his absence at the ceremony. In her laudation at the ceremony Mrs. Marie-Luise Dött, Member of the German Bundestag, who takes the... Read more »
Nguyen Van Dai faces up to 20 years imprisonment – Joint action with MP Marie-Luise Dött and missio Aachen (Bad Nauheim, March 1, 2017) – In a joint online-petition started today VETO! Human Rights Defenders’ Network, German MP Marie-Luise Dött (CDU) and the International Catholic Missionary Work Missio Aachen call for the release of the imprisoned Vietnamese human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai and his assistant Le Thu Ha. They are detained since December 16, 2015, without being granted access to their attorneys. “VETO! welcomes the joint campaign for the release of the two Vietnamese human rights defenders wrongly imprisoned. Many people will assist them because of their non-violent defense... Read more »
Nguyen Van Dai drohen 20 Jahre Haft – Gemeinsame Aktion mit der Bundestagsabgeordneten Marie-Luise Dött und missio Aachen (Bad Nauheim, 1. März 2017) – Freiheit für den inhaftierten vietnamesischen Menschenrechtsanwalt Nguyen Van Dai und seine Assistentin Le Thu Ha fordert eine gemeinsame Online-Petition der Menschenrechtsorganisation VETO! Human Rights Defenders‘ Network, der Bundestagsabgeordneten Marie-Luise Dött (CDU) und des Internationalen Katholischen Missionswerkes missio Aachen. Beide Menschenrechtsverteidiger sind seit dem 16. Dezember 2015 im Gefängnis und seitdem sind ihre Anwälte nicht zugelassen. “VETO! begrüßt die gemeinsame Initiative zur Freilassung der beiden vietnamesischen Menschenrechtsverteidiger. Viele Menschen werden ihnen beistehen, weil sie wegen ihres gewaltlosen Einsatzes für die Rechte anderer zu Unrecht inhaftiert sind.”, so... Read more »
Man-made marine disaster in Vietnam Can the World Community do more than look? Thục-Quyên (Save Vietnam´s Nature) In early April 2016, tones of dead fish began washing up along the coast of Ha Tinh province and neighboring Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces: miles and miles of fishes, countless clams, some occasional whales, seabirds, etc. followed by the death of diver Le Van Ngay after suffering chest pains and breathing difficulties [i], unusual health conditions of his colleagues (tired, chest pain and dizzy after every swim, skin tone changed), illness of hundreds of people from eating seafood, etc. A month later, over 100 tones of dead fishes had... Read more »
NGUYEN Ngoc Nhu Quynh, a human rights defender known as Blogger Mother Mushroom, was arrested on October 10, 2016 in Nha Trang City, Vietnam, under the charge of “spreading propaganda against the State”. Subsequently the police searched her home and confiscated her computer, I-pad, mobile phone, hard disks, USB sticks, photo camera, film camera, sound recorder and several documents. According to the authority she is being held in the Detention Camp of the Public Security of Khánh Hòa Province. She is held incommunicado, i.e. has no access to a lawyer and family visits. A Catholic she is not allowed to receive a Bible. If convicted, she can face up to... Read more »
PRESS RELEASE 73 Members of Parliament on four continents call for the release of Vietnamese lawyer Nguyễn Văn Đài HANOI, 25 October 2016— Yesterday Members of parliament from around the world sent an open letter (*) to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, calling on the government in Hanoi to immediately and unconditionally release Vietnamese lawyer Nguyễn Văn Đài and his assistant Lê Thu Hà. “We are pleased to note that Vietnam is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits arbitrary detention, guarantees the right to a fair trial, and stipulates that detainees be treated with humanity and respect for their dignity. In... Read more »
VETO! Human Rights Defenders‘ Network: On March 18, 2016, MP Martin Patzelt, member of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid of German parliament (Bundestag), issued the below press release announcing his trip to Vietnam to observe the trial of Mr. Nguyen Huu Vinh (Blogger Anhbasam) and Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy. MP Patzelt has repeatedly met Ms. Le Thi Minh Ha, Vinh´s wife, who advocated for the release of her husband at the German Bundestag. Besides Mr. Patzelt, Ms. Ha also received support from other Members of Parliament (MP): MP Michael Brand and MP Frank Heinrich (CDU/CSU), MP Sabine Batzing-Lichtenthäler (SPD), MP Tom Koenigs and MP Omid Nouripour... Read more »
Translation of the Press release of Mrs. Marie-Luise Dött, Member of the German Bundestag, Feb. 22, 2016 Freedom for the Vietnamese civil rights defender Nguyen Van Dai “Today I assume parliamentary sponsorship for the Vietnamese civil rights activist Nguyen Van Dai, arrested in Hanoi on December 16, 2015. For me there was no hesitation to say yes to the request from the human rights organization “Veto! Human Rights Defenders’ Network.” Just last year in August, I met Nguyen Van Dai in Hanoi during a delegation visit of the Christian Democratic Union / Christian Social Union Parliamentary Group in the German Bundestag. The talk focused primarily on the human rights situation... Read more »
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