Defend the Defenders, Reporters Sans Frontieres Co-organize Cyber Security Training Workshop in Cat Ba Island

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Dozens of policemen, including numerous plainclothes ones, stationed in the hotel and around to closely monitor the meetings. Even they came to demand for administrative check during mid night, making great noise in the area.

Policemen also summoned the driver who had a contract to transport the participants from Hanoi to Cat Ba. Along with questioning him, police also held his driving license until the bus left Haiphong territory.

By Vu Quoc Ngu | Aug 03, 2015

Defend the Defenders, on collaboration with the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF or Reporters Without Borders), on July 31-Aug 2 organized a cyber security training course for 23 human rights advocates nationwide.

The three-day event was held in Cat Ba Island in the northern port city of Haiphong. Ton Phi, a member of DTD, introduced a number of measures to deal with rising virus attacks and pro-government malwares against activists.

On the first meeting on afternoon of July 31, local policemen entered the class room in a hotel where the course was held, and demanded for suspension. However, the organizers and attendants protested, saying they did nothing wrong according to Vietnam’s law. Finally, the policemen withdrew.

However, Cat Ba district police, directed by Haiphong city police, ordered the hotel owner to cut internet connection as well as revoke the rented  class room in the third meeting, forcing the course organizers to move the meeting into living room.

Dozens of policemen, including numerous plainclothes ones, stationed in the hotel and around to closely monitor the meetings. Even they came to demand for administrative check during mid night, making great noise in the area.

Policemen also summoned the driver who had a contract to transport the participants from Hanoi to Cat Ba. Along with questioning him, police also held his driving license until the bus left Haiphong territory.

Despite Haiphong police’s harassments and threats, the course was completed as scheduled and all participants were very happy with the obtained knowledge on cyber security.

The participants returned to Hanoi safely under the close surveillance of Haiphong police.