Vietnam Activist Barred from Leaving to Singapore for Tourist Trip

Ms. Phan Cam Huong at a peaceful demonstration on environmental issue in Hanoi in May, 2016

Ms. Phan Cam Huong at a peaceful demonstration on environmental issue in Hanoi in May, 2016

Ms. Huong and her son were kept in a police station in the airport for seven hours. When she used smart phones to contact with other activists, security officers attacked her and confiscate the devices, she said. Due to the assault, she suffered from a number of scratches on her hands and bodies, she added.

Defend the Defenders, Sept 24, 2016

Security forces in Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi on September 24 barred social activist Phan Cam Huong and her son from leaving the country to visit Singapore, local activists have said.

When Ms. Huong came to security desk in Noi Bai International Airport for checking, police officers told her that she is not permitted to take international flights. Later, they brought her to a room where they informed her that the blockage was based on national security according to the government’s Decree 136.

Ms. Huong and her son were kept in a police station in the airport for seven hours. When she used smart phones to contact with other activists, security officers attacked her and confiscate the devices, she said. Due to the assault, she suffered from a number of scratches on her hands and bodies, she added.

At around 2PM, they let Huong and her son to go home without returning her passport and smart phones.

While she was in police detention, dozens of activists in Hanoi came to the airport to show their solidarity, protesting the blockage and demand for realizing her and her son.

Ms. Huong is a Hanoi-based entrepreneur. She has involved in a number of charity programs and often participated in anti-China demonstrations against Beijing’s aggressiveness in the East Sea (South China Sea).

She has also participated in campaigns which promote multi-party democracy and environmental protection.

Her charity programs have provided valuable financial assistance for land petitioners and families of prisoners of conscience as well as victims of miscarriage of justice.

In addition to imprisonments, harassments and persecution against local activists, Vietnam has also barred them from international trips. Over a hundred of political dissidents, social activists and human rights defenders have been stopped at border gates when they were on their ways to leave the country for international conferences, seminars or trips with tourism purposes.

Many other activists have been refused to be being granted with passports or having passports confiscated.