Vietnam Activist Kidnapped While Cycling in Hanoi Streets

The group of activists cycling on Hanoi streets on July 31, 2016 before the kidnap of Mr. Nguyen Van Dien

The group of activists cycling on Hanoi streets on July 31, 2016 before the kidnap of Mr. Nguyen Van Dien

Activists suspected that he was kidnapped by Hanoi’s security agents. Blogger Nam Phuong said she recognized one of many men who were on a motorbike following the activists closely is a police officer of Trang Tien ward.

By Vu Quoc Ngu, July 31, 2016

Nguyen Van Dien, a Vietnamese pro-democracy activist and environmentalist, has reportedly been disappeared while cycling together with other environmentalists on the streets in central Hanoi, social networks reported.

On the morning of Sunday [July 31], Mr. Dien, 35, and nearly ten other activists rallied in Hanoi’s center. They wore T-shirts with message saying Hoang Sa (Paracels) and Truong Sa (Spratlys) belong to Vietnam.

During their journey, the activists were followed by a group of around twenty individuals which are believed to be plainclothes agents, said activist Nam Phuong, one of the cycling activists.

Dien, who has participated in a number of peaceful demonstrations against China’s violations of the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea (South China Sea) and the Taiwanese Formosa Plastic Group, was in the last position. He suddenly disappeared at 10.45 AM when the group arrived in Hang Khay Street, said blogger Nam Phuong.

The activists tried to connect Dien by cell phones but received no answers.

Activists suspected that he was kidnapped by Hanoi’s security agents. Blogger Nam Phuong said she recognized one of many men who were on a motorbike following the activists closely is a police officer of Trang Tien ward.

The activists came to Trang Tien ward police station to ask information about Mr. Dien, but the police rejected to holding him.

Until 11 PM, Activists are still staying near the police station to wait for him.

Other activists supposed that Hanoi police may deport him to his home province of Yen Bai. On May 8, Dien was arrested while participating in a protest against Formosa and was deported to his home town.

Vietnam’s security forces have applied a number of measures, including assaulting, kidnapping, detaining and deporting local political dissidents, social activists and human rights defenders to silence them.

Vietnam’s communist government has little tolerance for its critics and applied many measures to prevent spontaneous demonstrations. It has ordered the security forces to assault, kidnap and detain as well as block activists in order not to allow them to organize or participate in peaceful protests.

Last week, after being re-elected as chairwoman of the country’s highest legislative body National Assembly, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, member of the ruling communist party’s Politburo, criticized anti-China activists, saying their peaceful demonstrations aim to cause instability in the country.

Since the beginning of 2016, dozens of government critics, social activists and human rights defenders have been brutally assaulted by plainclothes agents while hundreds of others have been detained to police stations where many of them were interrogated and tortured by police officers, according to the statistics of Defend the Defenders.

Vietnam’s communists have vowed to maintain a one-party regime and made all effort to prevent the establishment of political opposition.