Vietnam Human Rights Defenders’ Weekly Jan 19-25: Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang Severely Beaten by Security Agents

Defenders’ Weekly | Jan 25, 2015

Defenders-weekly-11

On Jan 18, Saigon-based Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang was severely beaten by security agents.

On Jan 21, a group of Hanoi-based activists were suppressed by police in Thai Binh City after they visited former political prisoner Tran Anh Kim, who is still in three-year probation.

The EU continues to call on Vietnam to respect human rights as the two sides conducted the 4th dialogue on human rights in Brussels on Jan 19.

The People’s Court of the southern province of Long An continues to refuse the family and lawyers of death-sentenced  Ho Duy Hai to meet him.

And many other interesting news.

************19/1/2015**********

Dak Lak Parish: Authorities Strive to Demolish Temporary Praying Facility of Local Catholic Followers

Authorities in Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Dak Lak have strived to demolish the temporary praying facilities of Catholic followers of Dak Lak parish, said Priest Hoang Duc Oanh, head of the Kon Tum diocese.

The diocese has asked local authorities to build a praying facility for the followers of the parish, however, they rejected. They also did not allow Priest Tran Van Vu to serve for the parish.

They have ordered the local followers to destroy the temporary praying facility.

Currently, the church and the local authorities are negotiating on the case, Priest Oanh noted.

 VRNs: Đức cha Micae Hoàng Đức Oanh: Hướng giải quyết cho giáo xứ Đăk Jâk

**********20/1/2015**********

Christian Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang Beaten Severely

On Jan 18, Saigon-based Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang was beaten by unknown assailants near Ho Chi Minh City-based Bible college.

Pastor Quang was harassed by mobs after he tried to rescue Pastor Huynh Thuc Khai from the mobs. Mr. Khai went out from Mr. Quang’s house and was attacked by thugs.

Mr. Quang said pastors and followers of Mennonite Church have been regularly suppressed by hired mobs or plainclothes agents. Mobs, with support of local police, have also attacked their praying facilities.

The pastors and followers have reported to local authorities but received no assistance while police conducted any investigation.

RFA: Mục sư Nguyễn Hồng Quang lại bị đánh trọng thương 

DTD: MỤC SƯ NGUYỄN HỒNG QUANG – QUẢN NHIỆM HỘI THÁNH MENNONITE BỊ HÀNH HUNG

********21/1/2015********

EU Demands Vietnam to Free Bloggers Immediately

The EU has expressed its deep concern about imprisonments of a number of bloggers in Vietnam, and asked Hanoi to immediately release prisoners of conscience, especially those whose health is poor.

The 28-nation bloc made this call at the 4th Human Rights Dialogue held in Brussels on Jan 19.

Spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic for the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, said the EU has urged Vietnam to open more based on law and human rights respect.

VOA: EU yêu cầu Việt Nam ‘thả ngay’ các blogger

**********22/1/2015***********

Hanoi-based Activists Beaten by Thai Binh Police after Visiting Former Political Prisoner Tran Anh Kim

A group of 13 Hanoi-based social activists reported that they were attacked by policemen and detained in police station on Wednesday [Jan 21] after visiting political dissident Tran Anh Kim in the northern province of Thai Binh, who recently competed his 66-month imprisonment for anti-state propaganda.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Giang, 80, one of the victims, said the reason is just because they visited Kim, who is still under probation.

The victims reported that they were attacked by mobs in presence of local policemen, however, police took no action to protect citizens. Due to the attack, some activists suffered bruises and other injuries.

Even police detained the group for seven hours in police station, demanding them to confess they broke the law by visiting Mr. Kim, who was jailed for anti-state propaganda.

DTD: KHẨN: ĐOÀN HỘI BẦU BÍ TƯƠNG THÂN VÀ BẠN ĐỒNG HÀNH BỊ CÔNG AN THÁI BÌNH HÀNH HUNG DÃ MAN KHI VIẾNG THĂM TÙ NHÂN LƯƠNG TÂM TRẦN ANH KIM 21.1.2014

RFA: Thăm tù nhân lương tâm mới ra tù, cả đoàn bị đánh hội đồng

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Long An Court Refuses Death-sentenced Ho Duy Hai to Meet with Family, Lawyers

 The People’s Court of the southern province of Long An continues to refuse the family and lawyers of death-sentenced  Ho Duy Hai to meet him.

The court argued that the court has no authority to let relatives to visit the sentenced, according to the Vietnamese law.

Earlier, the court issued a decision to suspend the execution of Hai for further review.

Hai was sentenced to death after the courts found him guilty in a murder case, on which he was said to kill two female post staff. Hai has filled petitions saying he was tortured during investigation and unfairly tried.

VRNs: Tòa án từ chối cho gia đình gặp tử tù

*************23/1/2015***********

German Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid Christoph Strässer: Vietnam’s Human Rights Situation Still Worsen

Vietnam’s human right situation is still worsen as  economic reforms have brought  impressive growth but improvement on civil and political rights is not recognized, said Christoph Strässer, Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid of the German Federal Government.

“We are very pleased to introduce our modern prison system to our counterparts from Vietnam on the occasion of the Vietnam-EU human rights dialogue,” said Mr. Strässer.

“We continue to hold dialogue with Vietnam and I think the dialogue has supported Vietnam in modernizing its legal system and addressing human right issues,” he added.

Hanoi: Phát biểu của Quan chức đặc trách về Chính sách nhân quyền và Trợ giúp nhân đạo của Chính phủ Liên bang Christoph Strässer nhân chuyến thăm trại giam Heidering tại Berlin của phái đoàn Việt Nam

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Vietnam Police Manipulate Video Relating to “My Confession”: Lawyer Le Cong Dinh

Vietnam’s police manipulated the video according to which Le Cong Dinh made confession and begged for amnesty, said the lawyer who was former political prisoner.

During interrogation, police made a number of video with him and from these files, they produced a fabricated one with fake information, said Dinh, who was released last year before his term ended.

The prominent lawyer was arrested on June 13, 2009 and charged under Article 79 and 88 of the Criminal Code. He was sentenced to five years in jail and three years under house arrest.

BBC: LS Lê Công Định nói gì về video ‘nhận tội’?

************24/1/2015************

Beaten Activists Accuse Policemen, Thugs of Harassing Them

The Hanoi-based activists have accused policemen and thugs in Thai Binh province of beating them after they visited a local former political prisoner.

On Jan 21, a group of 13 human rights defenders and political dissidents from Hanoi visited Tran Anh Kim, who recently completed his 66-month imprisonment. After visiting them, the group was stopped by local police and then beaten by mobs while police did nothing to intervene.

After that, the activists were detained to the local police station for several hours where they were forced to confess that they broke the law by visiting a person under house arrest.

The incident happened two days after Vietnam and the EU conducted the 4th Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels where the 28-nation bloc expressed its deep concern about human rights situation in the communist nation, and urged Hanoi to respect international standards on law and human rights.

VOA: 12 nhà hoạt động tố cáo bị hành hung khi đi thăm ông Trần Anh Kim

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11-year-old Girl Seeking Justice for Her Parents

Ngo Thi Cam Hieu, 11-year-old girl in Binh Phuoc has been seeking justice for her parents who are imprisoned for failing to pay a debt to a local resident.

Due to unpaid debts, her parents are imprisoned to 66 months in jail each for fighting with the lender while all property of the family, including a 3-hectare land was confiscated and given to the lender.

“My parents borrowed a certain sum from Mr. Truyen and they failed to pay the debt on time so Truyen confiscated our land. My parents petitioned to take back the land but authorities ignored. My parents and Truyen had a clash and my parents were imprisoned while my family’s land was seized,” said the girl who stays no relatives to take care for her.

 VOA: Bé gái 11 tuổi đi tìm công lý cho ba mẹ

***********25/1/2015**************

Political Prisoner Dinh Nguyen Kha Continues 10th Day of Hunger Strike

Political prisoner Dinh Nguyen Kha and three other inmates have conducted hunger strike for the 10th day in a bid to protest inhumane treatment of Xuyen Moc prison.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Kim Lien, the mother of Kha, informed that Kha started his hunger strike ten days ago after the prison placed him and three others in solitary cells.

Currently, his health is poor, his mother said.

Mr. Kha was arrested in 2012 after he and student Nguyen Phuong Uyen dispersed lift lets calling for multi-party democracy. He was sentenced to 8 years in jail.

RFA: Tù nhân lương tâm Đinh Nguyên Kha tuyệt thực sang ngày thứ 10