For Immediate Release
October 9, 2009
On October 6, 7, 8 and 9, 2009, the Hanoi authorities have tried these pro-democracy activists including writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia, Mr. Ngo Quynh, Mr. Nguyen Manh Son, Mr. Nguyen Van Tinh, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuc, Mr. Nguyen Kim Nhan in Hai Phong and Mr. Pham Van Troi, teacher Vu Hung and poet Tran Duc Thach in Ha Noi, Vietnam. All were imprisoned with various sentences from 2 to 6 years in jail for the fabricated and arbitrary charges of the so-called “violation of Article 88 of Vietnam’s Criminal Code”.
The above individuals have committed no crimes. They were only exercising their rights to freedom of expression by peaceful means. Vietnam is a member of the UN Commission on Human Rights in which the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Article 19, clearly protects the right of the individual to "seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, or through any other media of his or her choice". In addition, according to Article 9 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile," and The Socialist Republic of Vietnam's Constitution itself declares the "right of freedom expression, right of freedom press, right of freedom exchange information and right to form an association and right to demonstration" in article 69. However, the Vietnam Communist Party has ignored these basic human rights, continued to crackdown and used harsh sentences to silence pro-democracy activists.
The People’s Democratic Party strongly condemns the trials and sentencing, staged by the Vietnamese Communist Party. We call upon our members and the Vietnamese people at home and abroad to continue fighting for Human Rights, Freedom and Democracy for Vietnam.
Tran, Nam
Spokesperson of the People’s Democratic Party
October 9, 2009
On October 6, 7, 8 and 9, 2009, the Hanoi authorities have tried these pro-democracy activists including writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia, Mr. Ngo Quynh, Mr. Nguyen Manh Son, Mr. Nguyen Van Tinh, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuc, Mr. Nguyen Kim Nhan in Hai Phong and Mr. Pham Van Troi, teacher Vu Hung and poet Tran Duc Thach in Ha Noi, Vietnam. All were imprisoned with various sentences from 2 to 6 years in jail for the fabricated and arbitrary charges of the so-called “violation of Article 88 of Vietnam’s Criminal Code”.
The above individuals have committed no crimes. They were only exercising their rights to freedom of expression by peaceful means. Vietnam is a member of the UN Commission on Human Rights in which the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Article 19, clearly protects the right of the individual to "seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, or through any other media of his or her choice". In addition, according to Article 9 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile," and The Socialist Republic of Vietnam's Constitution itself declares the "right of freedom expression, right of freedom press, right of freedom exchange information and right to form an association and right to demonstration" in article 69. However, the Vietnam Communist Party has ignored these basic human rights, continued to crackdown and used harsh sentences to silence pro-democracy activists.
The People’s Democratic Party strongly condemns the trials and sentencing, staged by the Vietnamese Communist Party. We call upon our members and the Vietnamese people at home and abroad to continue fighting for Human Rights, Freedom and Democracy for Vietnam.
Tran, Nam
Spokesperson of the People’s Democratic Party