AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE
28 February 2011
Vietnamese authorities must release Dr. Nguyen Dan Que
On Saturday, 26 February 2011, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Investigation Agency arrested Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, an endocrinologist and political and human rights activist. In an official media report, the Vietnamese authorities described him as being caught "red-handed keeping and distributing documents" calling for the overthrow of the government. The police seized documents and a computer from his home. Article 79 in the national security section of the 1999 Penal Code provides for between five years and life imprisonment, or the death penalty for "overthrowing" the state.
"Amnesty International is shocked to learn that Nguyen Dan Que has been arrested yet again,” said Donna Guest, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Deputy Director. “Dr Que is a staunch and peaceful defender of human rights and free speech, for which he has paid a heavy price, including spending almost 20 years in prison.”
“Media reports suggest that his arrest may be linked to a statement he made in the last week calling for people to rise up against the government, with a reference to the democracy movements in the Middle East and North Africa. It also seems to be no coincidence that his arrest comes on the same day that an article by Dr. Que critical of the Vietnamese authorities’ position on human rights was published in the Washington Post,” said Donna Guest.
“Dr. Que has never used nor advocated violence. The authorities should immediately end its draconian attempts to stifle peaceful dissidents which have seen more than 20 activists jailed in the last 12 months. Amnesty International calls for Dr Que's immediate release,” said Donna Guest.
Background
Dr Que has been a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience on three previous occasions. He became an international member of Amnesty International in January 1990. He has been imprisoned previously three times for a total of almost 20 years.
Amnesty International released the following July 2004 feature about Dr Nguyen Dan Que’s lifelong committed to human rights:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA41/019/2004/en/4de3291f-d59c-11dd-bb24-1fb85fe8fa05/asa410192004en.pdf
Public Document
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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566 or email: press@amnesty.org
International Secretariat, Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW, UK
--
Working to protect human rights worldwide
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28 February 2011
Vietnamese authorities must release Dr. Nguyen Dan Que
On Saturday, 26 February 2011, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Investigation Agency arrested Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, an endocrinologist and political and human rights activist. In an official media report, the Vietnamese authorities described him as being caught "red-handed keeping and distributing documents" calling for the overthrow of the government. The police seized documents and a computer from his home. Article 79 in the national security section of the 1999 Penal Code provides for between five years and life imprisonment, or the death penalty for "overthrowing" the state.
"Amnesty International is shocked to learn that Nguyen Dan Que has been arrested yet again,” said Donna Guest, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Deputy Director. “Dr Que is a staunch and peaceful defender of human rights and free speech, for which he has paid a heavy price, including spending almost 20 years in prison.”
“Media reports suggest that his arrest may be linked to a statement he made in the last week calling for people to rise up against the government, with a reference to the democracy movements in the Middle East and North Africa. It also seems to be no coincidence that his arrest comes on the same day that an article by Dr. Que critical of the Vietnamese authorities’ position on human rights was published in the Washington Post,” said Donna Guest.
“Dr. Que has never used nor advocated violence. The authorities should immediately end its draconian attempts to stifle peaceful dissidents which have seen more than 20 activists jailed in the last 12 months. Amnesty International calls for Dr Que's immediate release,” said Donna Guest.
Background
Dr Que has been a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience on three previous occasions. He became an international member of Amnesty International in January 1990. He has been imprisoned previously three times for a total of almost 20 years.
Amnesty International released the following July 2004 feature about Dr Nguyen Dan Que’s lifelong committed to human rights:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA41/019/2004/en/4de3291f-d59c-11dd-bb24-1fb85fe8fa05/asa410192004en.pdf
Public Document
****************************************
For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566 or email: press@amnesty.org
International Secretariat, Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW, UK
--
Working to protect human rights worldwide
DISCLAIMER
This email has been sent by Amnesty International Limited (a company registered in England and Wales limited by guarantee, number 01606776 with registered office at 1 Easton St, London WC1X 0DW). Internet communications are not secure and therefore Amnesty International does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message. If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose or rely on the information in this e-mail. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Amnesty International unless specifically stated. Electronic communications including email might be monitored by Amnesty International for operational or business reasons.
This message has been scanned for viruses by Postini. www.postini.com