Lanney Tran,
Chairwoman of WFHR
Đăng ngày: 09.03.2014
VRNs (Mar 09th, 2014) – California, USA – We are writing to update you regarding the case of
human rights activist Mrs Bui Thi Minh Hang, who had been recently arrested by
police from Lap Vo district and Dong Thap province while she was on her way to
visit her friends, Mr and Mrs. Nguyen Bac Truyen. As we have recently reported:
On February 11th, 2014, Mrs.
Hang, Ms Quynh, and Mr Minh along with eighteen other individuals were on their
way to visit Mr Nguyen Bac Truyen’s wife following his unlawful arrest. As the
group got closed to Mr Truyen’s residence, they were ambushed by hundreds of
police personnel from Lap Vo’s district police department. They were tied up,
handcuffed and beaten violently with bamboo sticks, batons, and electric
batons. The entire party was transported to and jailed at Lap Vo’s district
police headquarter. After more than twenty-four hours of detention without any
legitimate reason and/or warrant, eighteen people were released. Mrs. Bui Thi
Minh Hang, Ms Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh, and Mr Nguyen Van Minh were moved to An
Binh prison in Cao Lanh city, Dong Thap province on February 15th, 2014.
It has been 26 days since the
unlawful arrest of Ms Bui Thi Minh Hang, Ms Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh and Mr Nguyen
Van Minh. Yet, we are advised that family and friends have not been allowed to
visit these detainees. Nonetheless, there has been no information provided by
the Vietnamese authorities regarding the reason for the arrest, hearing
schedule and/or eligibility for release. According to Ms Hang’s daughter, Dang
Thi Quynh Anh, she has been on hunger strike since her arrest on February 11th,
2014 to protest the mistreating and illegal prosecution by Dong Thap’s police.
Following is a statement by Hang’s daughter regarding her situation:
“…The police accused my Mother
of interfering with common traffic, but they later charged her with
“obstruction of justice and causing serious interference with common traffic”
after detaining her for more than ten days. My Mother has been on a hunger
strike in prison to protest against the tribulation, defamation, and forced an
admittance of guilt by Dong Thap’s police. My Mother had been illegally jailed
before for demonstrating against China’s invasion of Vietnamese territory in
the Paracel and Spratly Islands. She also condemned the Chinese navy’s killings
and beatings of Vietnamese fishermen using unmarked boats. My Mother often
defends organizations and groups that have been discriminated by Vietnamese
government including Thai Ha Catholic Parish, Hoa Hao Buddhist followers, and
land-grab victims in Van Giang, Hung Yen, and many other areas. She also
supports political prisoners, who have been wrongfully convicted such as Cu Huy
Ha Vu, Le Quoc Quan….. From a successful businesswoman, my Mother sacrificed
her career to fight for justice and basic rights guaranteed to any human being
after witnessing so many inequalities and human rights abuse in Vietnam. On her
journey to defend human rights, my Mother has been strictly followed by
government’s undercover agents. Her house has been vandalized many times with
dirty substances at night. Her numerous requests to local police for
investigation on these mishaps turn up empty. Despite ongoing terrors, My
Mother stays focused on her path in fighting for social justice and all human
rights be respected as stated by the laws. It is obvious that detention of
prosecution by Dong Thap’s police for my Mother is attempts to stop her from
human right defending activities. The unusual traffic checks, provocation,
filming, arrests, threatened and forced witnesses, and changing charges within
a short amount of time would explain that there has been a master plan
carefully staged against my Mother.” (Ex. 1)
A “First Testament” had been
written by eighteen witnesses who were at the scene with Mrs. Hang on the day
of the incident, who were beaten and wrongfully jailed for 24 hours, detailing
the attacks of Dong Thap police force on these innocent citizens of Vietnam.
(Ex. 2). As of this moment, Mrs. Hang, Ms Quynh, and Mr Minh’s health are
critically being at risk; their lives are in grave danger because of ongoing
hunger strike since Feb. 11, 2014. The Vietnamese authorities have not been
cooperating with their families regarding their detention situation, despite
everyone’s efforts. (Ex. 3)
Furthermore, we are concerned
these continuous attacks targeting Hoa Hao Buddhist followers as they have been
in the past by the Vietnamese police force. (Ex. 4) Additionally, the
latest updates from Ms Hang’s children, they were informed by Ms Hang’s lawyer,
attorney Tran Thu Nam that he has not been allowed by the Lap Vo authority to
speak or too meet with Ms Hang about her trial. According to Lap Vo’s
authority officer, “Ms Hang has declined to have a lawyer.” No one
has been able to visit Ms Hang to verify such statement.
To recap, prior to this
incident, in 2011, Mrs. Hang was detained without trial for almost two years
for participating in a peaceful protest against Chinese aggression of Paracel
and Spratly islands. Vietnamese government continuously violates the
commitments reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Covenant
Against Torture and are inconsistent with Vietnam’s position in the UN Human
Rights Council.
We respectfully request the
U.S. government officials, International Human Rights organizations,
governments of the European Union members to push for immediate release of Mrs.
Bui Thi Minh Hang, Ms Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh, and Mr Nguyen Van Minh.
Especially to the government of the United States of America, we strongly
recommend that the release of these three individuals and all other prisoners
of conscience must be met before any further negotiations of
Trans-Pacific-Partnership (TPP) takes place. We also hope that U.S.
Senate and President Barack Obama pass and implement Vietnam Human Rights Act –
S1649, which was passed by U.S. Congress HR 1897 in 2013, to pressure the
government of Vietnam respects all human rights as stated in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
Respectfully Yours,
Lanney Tran
Chairwoman of WFHR
Enclosed:
(Ex. 1): Mrs. Bui Thi Minh
Hang’s daughter
statement
(Ex. 2): First Testament of 18
witnesses
(Ex. 3): Mrs. Bui Thi Minh
Hang’s daughter “”Plead for
help.”
(Ex.4): RFA News –
Families Concerned Over Jailed Activists on Third Week of Hunger Strike
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