Vietnam Human Rights Defenders’ Weekly Dec 15-21: Civil Societies Held First Meeting to Mark International Human Rights Day

Defenfers’ Weekly

21/21/2014

Defenders-weekly-11

On Dec 15, representatives of more than ten civil societies attended the 66th anniversary of International Human Day in the Saigon-based Redemptory Church.

On Dec 12, a delegation of overseas Vietnamese  met with Mr. Stephano Sensi, Human Rights Officer and representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in United Nations’ office in New York.

On Dec 8, a delegation of the United Delegation of Buddhist for Overseas Vietnamese went to the UN’s Office and the U.S.’s Embassy to the UN in New York to report human rights situation in the home country.

and a number of other interesting news.

*********15/12/2014********

HCM City Security Agents Force Land Lord to Expel Daughter of Teacher Dinh Dang Dinh amid Night

On late night of Dec 13, Ms. Duong Thi Tan received a call from the widow of late teacher Dinh Dang Dinh informing that Ms. Dinh Phuong Thao, a daughter of the late teacher was expelled by the landlord under instruction of security agents in Ho Chi Minh City during the raining midnight.

Ms. Thao was forced to move from one to another dormitory several times within a month as landlords refused to implement the signed contracts after receiving threat from local authorities.

After receiving the call, Ms. Tan found Ms. Thao and arranged a safe place for her to spend during the night. After that, policemen came to intimidate Tan and her family.

Teacher Dinh Dang Dinh, an outspoken activist, died in April, several months after being released from prisons. He was sentenced to six years in prison for writing articles protesting China-invested bauxite project in the Central Highlands.

Dinh, a former chemical teacher, suspected that he was poisoned during the two years in jail.

IJAVN: Tiếng khóc nghẹn trong đêm

 

**********16/12/2014************

Vietnam Civil Societies Hold First Meeting in Saigon to Mark Int’l Human Rights Day

On Dec 15, representatives of more than ten civil societies in Vietnam gathered in the Saigon-based Redemptory Church to mark the 66th International Human Rights Day.

Pastor Nguyen Manh Hung from Independent Mennonite Church said that the meeting of civil societies reaffirmed the right of assembly of citizens.

In his opening speech, Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, co-president of the Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience informed that for the first time, the Vietnamese civil societies sent their message on human rights day to Vietnamese people in the country and abroad.

Catholic priest Giuse Dinh Huu Thoai, head of the church’s Office for Justice and Peace, presented the church’s activities to promote human rights in the country.

Master Pham Ba Hai, co-coordinator of the Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience reported the organization’s activities in 2014 and its working plan for 2015. The organization works for freeing all prisoners of conscience and promoting activities of civil societies. During this year, the organization has conducted a number of specific activities, including protesting government wrong policies, supporting political prisoners, reporting on torture and visiting former political prisoners and their families.

Venerable Thich Khong Tanh presented activities of the United Buddhist Delegation of Vietnam. He also condemned Vietnam’s policy which aims to control religions by establishing state-controlled religions.

Participants received T-shirts with human rights day logo from Hanoi-based lawyer Nguyen Van Dai from the Brotherhood for Democracy. The presents mean “to protest violence and harassment against ordinary people.”

VRNs: Lần đầu tiên các XHDS ở VN tổ chức kỷ niệm Ngày Quốc Tế Nhân Quyền

********17/12/2014********

Press Release on the Day of Human Rights, Democracy and Integrity of Vietnam

On the occasion of the 66th International Human Rights Day, Vietnamese oversea community organized a day for human rights, democracy and integrity of Vietnam on Dec 12-13 in New York.

On Dec 12, a delegation of Overseas Vietnamese met with Mr. Stephano Sensi, Human Rights Officer and representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in United Nations’ office in New York.

The delegation reported the systemic violations of human rights of Vietnam’s communist government in religious freedom and freedom of press and expression, police power abuse as well as Vietnamese controversial laws which aim to silence political dissidents.

DTD: THÔNG CÁO BÁO CHÍ NGÀY VẬN ĐỘNG NHÂN QUYỀN, TỰ DO DÂN CHỦ VÀ VẸN TOÀN LÃNH THỔ CHO VIỆT NAM

.***********18/12/2014**********

United Delegation of Buddhist for Overseas Vietnamese Reports Human Rights Violations in Home Country

On Dec 8, a delegation of the United Delegation of Buddhist for Overseas Vietnamese went to the UN’s Office and the U.S.’s Embassy to the UN in New York to report human rights situation in the home country.

At a meeting with leaders of the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the delegation reported Vietnam’s government plan to demolish Lien Tri, An Cu and Phuoc Buu Pagodas in Ho Chi Minh City, and policemen’s harassment against Venerable Thich Thien Tam.

The Vietnamese delegates also reported Hanoi’s harassment against political prisoners in detention facilities across the country.

In turn, leaders of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights pledged to work on the issue to prevent Vietnam’s harassment against political activists and promote freedom in the Southeast Asian nation.

VRNs: Tăng đoàn PGVNTN đến trụ sở LHQ tố cáo CSVN vi phạm tôn giáo và nhân quyền

*********19/12/2014**********

Thanh Hoa Province-based Prison No. 5 Holds Four Prisoners of Conscience in Solitary Cells

Former political prisoner Dang Ngoc Minh, mother of prisoner of conscience Nguyen Dang Minh Man said her daughter and three other political prisoners named Ta Phong tan, Nguyen Thi Loc and Ho Thi Bich Khuong are held in a solitary cells.

The four prisoners are not allowed to go outside and contact with other criminal prisoners, Mrs. Minh said after visiting her daughter.

Ms. Khuong and Ms. Man conducted hunger strike to protest the prison’s severe measure.

Ms. man was sentenced to eights years in jail and five years under house arrest for conducting activities which aim to “overthrow the people’s government.”

Ms. Khuong was sentenced to five years in prison and three- year probation under Article 88 of the Criminal Code.

Ms. Tan, a former police officer, was given a ten-year imprisonment for conducting propaganda against the state.

VRNs: Trại giam số 5 Thanh Hóa giam riêng 4 Tù nhân lương tâm

*************20/12/2014*************

Vietnam Laws Protect Communist Regime Rather Local Citizens: Lawyer Vo An Don

Vietnam’s laws aim to protect the communist regime instead of protecting local residents, said lawyer Vo An Don who bravely brought to the court policemen causing death to Phu Yen province-based victim Ngo Thanh Kieu.

Due to his legal assistance for Mr. Kieu’s family against five police officers in Phu Yen province, Mr. Don was threatened to be dismissed as a lawyer.

He has also provided legal assistance for nearly 200 poor people so far.

The brave lawyer is under attack police, People’s Court and Procuracy in Tuy Hoa city blamed him for conducting professional and ethical violations and defame local leadership.

He said he is doing legal things and have nothing to fear.

VOA: Luật sư Võ An Đôn: ‘Luật pháp VN bảo vệ chế độ hơn là bảo vệ người dân’

************21/12/2014***********

FVPoC Sends Condolences to Family of Former Political Prisoner Bui Ngoc Tan

The Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience has sent condolences to the family of writer Bui Ngoc Tan, who passed away on Dec 18 from lung cancer.

Mr. Tan is also a former political prisoner. In 1968, he was accused of conducting anti-state propaganda. He was detained and held in a labor camp for five years without being tried.

Starting his career as a writer at 20 years old, he had nearly 20 works, including “Stories in 2000” which was translated in English, French and German. The 600-page book tells about a prisoner amid Vietnam’s intensified crackdown against local writers. The book had been revoked by Vietnam’s authorities after being printed by the state-owned Thanh Nien publishing house.

CTNLT: Hội CTNLT chia buồn với gia quyến nhà văn – CTNLT Bùi Ngọc Tấn

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UN Representatives Meet Vietnamese Refugees in Cambodia

Representatives of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Dec 20 met with eight Vietnamese Montagnards who are hiding in Cambodia’s border zone for weeks in a bid to seek political asylum.

Cambodian human rights activists informed there are five other Vietnamese groups hiding in forest. They are willing to meet with UN’s representatives, Cambodians said.

Spokesman Khieu Sopheak of Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior accused the U.N’s agency of violating his country’s sovereignty as meeting with Vietnamese refugees without being licensed by local authorities.

RFI: Đại diện LHQ gặp 8 người thượng Việt Nam tỵ nạn ở Cam Bốt