Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience (FVPoC) condemns suppression on freedom of expression by Article 258 of Penal Code

Critic is a form of contribution to the process of policy and action change towards a better and fairer. This is also the right of freedom to peaceful speech on political views that the Vietnam authorities absolutely should respect. Maintaining and applying Article 258 are a serious breach of the freedom of expression of the Vietnamese people.

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Tell The World. (DTD)
FVPoC | Dec 7, 2014

Writer Nguyen Quang Lap, the owner of popular blog Que Choa, was arrested at 2pm, Dec 6, 2014 after 4 hour house search in Saigon.

To advocating the slogan “improve people’s cultural standard, develop people’s competence, promote people’s material and moral welfare” writer Nguyen Quang Lap constantly has expanded coverage of issues of social shortcomings, including problems opposite to the state viewpoint. The additional independent and multi-dimensional sources helped the blog Que Choa reaching 100 million page views in June of this year.

As of today in the year, the authorities have cracked down the three most popular blogs in the country. That are Anh Ba Sam (Sidewalk News Agency) in 5 May, Nguoi Lot Gach (Brick Layer) in 28 November and Que Choa (Father’s Village) in 6 December, 2014 . The Article 258 has become the main legal instrument of the Vietnam authorities to stifle critical voices of intellectuals in the country.

The country’s economy has been less efficient; the growth rate is slow. The latest arrests of dissidents only delay further the integration of the country into the world that abusers inside the Communist Party are benefiting.

Critic is a form of contribution to the process of policy and action change towards a better and fairer. This is also the right of freedom to peaceful speech on political views that the Vietnam authorities absolutely should respect. Maintaining and applying Article 258 are a serious breach of the freedom of expression of the Vietnamese people.

The risk of captivity to owners of other popular blogs in the near future is likely to happen. The Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience strongly condemns the ongoing repression on the freedom of expression by Article 258.

The right to peaceful expression is the fundamental human rights. The critical voice is the voice of conscience.

Eliminate Article 258 from the Penal Code

Free all prisoners of conscience detained under Article 258, includingTruong Duy Nhat, Anh Ba Sam, Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, Hong Le Tho and writerNguyen Quang Lap.

Vietnam, Dec 7, 2014.

Standing Steering Board of FVPoC:

  • Co-Chair: Nguyen Dan Que (nguyendanque@fvpoc.org), Father Phan Van Loi (phanvanloi@fvpoc.org)
  • Counsel President: Thich Khong Tanh (thichkhongtanh@fvpoc.org)
  • Coordinator: Pham Ba Hai(MBE) (phambahai@fvpoc.org), Lawyer Nguyen Van Dai (nguyenvandai@fvpoc.org)
  • Spokesman: Pham Chi Dung(PhD)