June 16-22 Defenders’ Weekly: Vietnam Rejects 45 Foreign Recommendations on Improving Human Rights

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Defend the Defenders | 23/6/2014

Defenders’ Weekly

During the week, Vietnam’s police suppressed and detained 50 anti-China protesters in front of China’s Embassy in Hanoi while Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi visited Vietnam. The family of Ms. Le Thi Phuong Anh was rejected to meet her in B5 detention facility in the southern province of Dong Nai although the police promised her to meet with the family. The family of prisoner of conscience Do Thi Minh Hanh said she received an amnesty but still being kept in prison. Four Vietnamese activists arrived in Geneva to attend a meeting of Universal Periodic Review. After the meeting, Vietnam accepted 182 foreign recommendations and rejected 45 others. On Sunday, Ho Chi Minh resident who initiated a campaign “No Selling Water/Country” was arrested by local police when he solely protested the Chinese violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty.

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Seven-member democratically elected politicians from the State Parliament of Victoria called on Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to free union activist Do Thi Minh Hanh

Luke Donnellan, Don Nowderlla, Marsha Thomson, Hong Linh, Martin Pakula, Cersa Melhem, Marlene Kairouz from the Legislative Assembly Parliament House jointly signed a letter sent to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to raise the case of Do Thi Minh Hanh, a young 29 year old lady currently incarcerated in Thanh Xuan Prison in Hanoi.

They also urged PM Dung to release two Hanh’s partners Doan Huy Chuong and Nguyen Hoang Quoc Hung.

On May 21, at the Legislative Assembly Parliament House of Victoria, with assistance of Member Luke Donnellan, the 8406 Bloc, one unsanctioned democratic organization in Vietnam, organized a forum for human rights in Vietnam. The main speaker was Mrs. Tran Ngoc Minh, Ms. Hanh’s mother who just came to Australia to promote a campaign to urge the Vietnamese government to release the trio.

Mrs. Minh described the situations in prison under which the trio are held. She called on the Victoria’s parliament to save her daughter by urging Vietnam to free the daughter.

Local legislators promised to launch a campaign for their freedom.

Dân làm báo: 7 dân biểu Victoria, Úc kêu gọi Nguyễn Tấn Dũng thả ngay Đỗ Thị Minh Hạnh

Thời báo: Dân biểu ở Úc kêu gọi nhà nước VN trả tự do ngay cho Đỗ thị Minh Hạnh

**********17/6/2014**********

Prisoners of Conscience Nong Hung Anh and Dang Ngoc Minh had jail term expired

On June 10, two prisoners of conscience Nong Hung Anh and Dang Ngoc Minh had jail term expired. The first was a Chinese language student in Hanoi University, one follower of Protestant. He petitioned to protest a bauxite mining project in the Central Highlands, participated anti-China protests. He was arrested on August 5, 2011 in Hanoi and was sentenced with three-year jail and two years under house arrest according to Article 79 of the Criminal Code.

Ms. Dang Ngoc Minh was sentenced with three years in prison and two years under house arrest according to Article 79 of the Criminal Code. Her daughter Nguyen Dang Minh Man and son Nguyen Dang Vinh Phuc were also arrested in the same case. While Ms. Man was sentenced with eight years in jail, Mr. Phuc was under probation.

Thanh niên công giáoTNLT Nông Hùng Anh Và Đặng Ngọc Minh Mãn Hạn Tù Giam 

Asia News: Vietnamese authorities release two Christian political prisoners 

**********18/6/2014**********

Police rejects the family to visit Le Thi Phuong Anh, who is detained 5 weeks ago

On June 14, Nguyen Thi Anh Thu, the mother of Le Thi Phuong Anh, accompanied by three children of Mrs. Phuong Anh, arrived in B5 detention facility of Dong Nai province’s police  to meet with Phuong Anh, who has been detained by the local police since mid May. However, the police rejected the meeting which they promised earlier.

On May 15, Anh and two friends Pham Minh Vu and Do Nam Trung were arrested when they just arrived in the southern province of Dong Nai from Danang. After five weeks, Dong Nai province’s police has yet to hand over the arrest order as well as other documents.

On June 6, police came to Mrs. Thu’s private house to search for Anh’s documents. Despite strong protest from the family, the police still searched the house and took several items.

Radio Chân trời mới: Công an gây khó khăn cho viêc thăm gặp chị Lê Thị Phương Anh

**********19/6/2014**********

Family of Lawyer Le Quoc Quan visits him at An Diem detention facility

In mid June, lawyer Le Quoc Quan was secretly transferred to An Diem detention facility in the central province of Quang Nam from the Hanoi-based Hoa Lo prison. Several days later, his family and some friends were allowed to meet him there. Quan’s brother, Mr. Quyet said the 70-kilometer route from Danang city to An Diem is very bad. The infrastructure of the detention facility is so bad, not suitable for human life, he added.

Lawyer Quan, 44 years old, continues to protest for his sentence over tax evasion. He said the case is poorly political aiming to silence him.

After the Hanoi People’s Court rejected his appeal and maintained the 30-month sentence, a number of international organizations and foreign countries, including the U.S. and the EU, expressed their concerns over the case and called on Vietnam to free him immediately.

RFA tiếng Việt: Chuyến thăm Ls. Lê Quốc Quân tại trại giam An Điềm

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Anti-China protest violently suppressed in Hanoi on Thursday

In the morning of June 19, the Hanoi-based No-U group called for an anti-China protest to condemn the Chinese escalating moves in the East Sea and urge Vietnam to have firm responses against the Chinese expansionism.

At 5pm on the same day, around 40 Vietnamese activists gathered in the city center to shout slogans and hang banners to protest China. However, the demonstration was violently suppressed by local security forces. A number of activists, including Truong Van Dung, Le Hong Phong, Nguyen Chi Tuyen, La Viet Dung, Nguyen Van Lich, Dao Thu Hue and Nguyen Thuy Hanh.

Dân làm báo: CA đàn áp, bắt giam nhiều người người biểu tình chống Trung Quốc

Boxite Việt nam: CA đàn áp, bắt giam nhiều người người biểu tình chống Trung Quốc

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Do Thi Minh Hanh’s family voices against lie of Vietnam’s authorities

On June 15, family’s members visited prisoner of conscience Do Thi Minh Hanh in the detention facility in Hanoi. The prison authorities informed that Hanh has been freed and they are conducing procedures for her release. In her letter dated June 19, Hanh’s mother said there is no sign that she was freed. The mother said Vietnam’s authorities lied to cheat press and international and local organizations which launched a campaign for her release.

Ms. Hanh was sentenced for 7 years under prison for assisting local workers to fight for their rights. She has been subject of regular violence and abuse in the prison.

Dân làm báo: Gia đình Đỗ Thị Minh Hạnh lên tiếng về sự dối trá của nhà cầm quyền CSVN

 

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Four Vietnamese activists arrive in Geneva to attend the Universal Periodic Review of Vietnam human rights

Four Vietnamese civil activists named Nguyen Quang A, Pham Le Vuong Cac, Nguyen Thi Vy Hanh and Trinh Huu Long arrived in Geneva on June 19 to participate in a two-week campaign to promote Vietnam’s human rights in Europe. One of important events of the campaign is a meeting on June 20 to approve Vietnam’s 2nd Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on human rights.

The four activists represent ten Vietnamese civil societies which aim to promote human rights in the Southeast Asian nation. These organizations are independent with the government and have been regularly suppressed by local authorities.

Vietnam UPRBốn nhà hoạt động dân sự tới Geneva, tham dự phiên họp UPR của Việt Nam

Vietnam Right Now: VIETNAMESE ACTIVISTS TO ATTEND UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTING SESSION ON VIETNAM

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UPR: Hanoi accepts 182 foreign recommendations on human rights, rejecting 45 others

Vietnam accepted 80% or 182 out of 227 suggestions at a session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on June 20, during which the council approved Vietnam’s 2nd Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on human rights.

It rejected 45 recommendations by foreign countries and organizations in the UPR Working Group in February to improve human rights. The recommendations included the U.S.’s request for the release of four dissident prisoners, and calls for death sentence removal and amending rules that prevent freedom of expression raised by foreign countries and organizations.

Vietnam’s Ambassador Nguyen Trung Thanh to the United Nations rejected all foreign non-governmental organizations’ accusations against Vietnam, saying the criticism of Vietnam’s bad rights records is totally groundless.

During the meeting, representatives of civil societies said Vietnam continues to halt freedom of expression and imprisons political dissidents under severe conditions.

BBC: VN chấp nhận 80% đề nghị nhân quyền

Defend the Defenders: Việt Nam bác bỏ 45 khuyến nghị

**********22/6/2014**********

Internet helps Vietnamese firms avoid state censorship

Vietnam’s authorities have said that internet has caused difficulties for them to launch state censorship on films. Recently youtube disseminated The apartment No. 69 with numerous sex scenes which go against Vietnam’s tradition and moral, according to state officials.

The video was fast dispersed among Vietnamese with over one million of viewers on Youtube.

Film producer Khai Hung said the state should not ban any move products. The ban will encourage Vietnamese to watch the film, he said, adding the state should leave people to make their censorship and they will not watch those films they consider not suitable.

Internet and social networks makes Vietnam’s government hardly impose censorship, especially those issues relating to moral, tradition, politics and human rights.

Việt Nam Net: Internet helps Vietnamese movies dodge censorship

 

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Ms. Dinh Ngoc Thu Sues Phap Luat newspaper for wrong information

Dinh Ngoc Thu, a co-manager of online website Anhbasam, has filled a objection to sue the Phap Luat newspaper for posting untrue information on its website on May 10. Ms. Thu said she is not a member of Viet Tan as the newspaper wrote. She also did not monitor blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh to post articles against the Vietnamese government.

In his letter, she demands the Phap Luat newspaper to apologize for untrue information and ask the  newspaper to compensate for losses caused by the false information posted by the newspaper.

On May 10, the newspaper posted an article titled “To unveil fake-democratic figure Nguyen Huu Vinh, who speaks untruly.”

Báo pháp luật: Lật mặt kẻ giả danh dân chủ, nói sàm và… nói ngược Nguyễn Hữu Vinh!

Blog anh Ba Sàm: Đơn Khởi Kiện báo Pháp luật Việt Nam

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HCM City police arrests Anti-China Protester who initials Country no for selling campaign

In the morning of Sunday, authorities in Ho Chi Minh City arrested a local resident who solely protested China’s violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Sea.

Police put Dinh Quang Tuyen (facebook Tuyen Xichlo) in custody for over five hours on Sunday after he held banners in the city’s center to protest China’s deployment of $1 billion HYSY-981 oilrig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, and demanded the Vietnamese government to bring the case to international court.

Mr. Tuyen said in an interview given to the RFA immediately after being released that he had been violently arrested by policemen. However, they [policemen] were polite during their interrogations.

Mr. Tuyen refused to make a report to police by saying that he did nothing wrong except for expressing patriotism to condemn the Chinese expansionism in the East Sea.

Mr. Tuyen initiated a campaign “Country not for selling” in Saigon. His idea was dispersed in many provinces and cities in Vietnam.

In Vietnamese, “Nước” means “country” and “water”.

Dân luận: Nhà cầm quyền Việt Nam vừa bắt người đàn ông “không bán nước” biểu tình đơn độc tại Sài Gòn sáng nay 22/6/2014

Dân làm báo: “Don’t Sell the Nation” Man Arrested by Police

Defend the Defenders: Nhà cầm quyền Việt Nam vừa bắt người đàn ông “không bán nước” biểu tình đơn độc tại Sài Gòn sáng nay 22/6/2014

Summary by Nguyen Thanh Thuy

Translation by [rollinglinks]Vu Quoc Ngu[/rollinglinks]