Menschenrechte / Human Rights (2016/2)

Vietnamese Authorities Raid a Civil Society Training Class

29.12.2016 (RFA) - A group of thugs and police officers attacked a civil society training class in Ho Chi Minh City this week, breaking up the class and beating two of the participants, RFA’s Vietnamese Service has learned.

Activist Nguyen Ho Nhat Thnanh (aka Paulo Thanh Nguyen) told RFA that thugs invaded the class, beat him up and threatened him with a gun before taking him to a police station.

“Then they covered my head and took me to a police station,” he said. At the station “they told me that I organized a training class with the purpose of overthrowing the government and that is deemed as dangerous.” [read more]

Vietnam Extends Detention for Human Rights Attorney

28.12.2016 (RFA) - Vietnamese authorities extended human rights attorney and activist Nguyen Van Dai’s time in prison until April, marking the third time the government has added time to his detention, RFA’s Vietnamese Service has learned.

Dai’s lawyer Ha Huy Son posted the government document extending his prison time on Facebook, but told RFA he has little information beyond that.

“I rely on the Supreme Prosecutorate. Whenever they give me the permit I will be able to meet Dai,” he said. “They are following the Bill on Legal Prosecution of Vietnam.” [read more]

Release Vietnamese Blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh

22.12.2016 Frank Schwabe, MdB (SPD) - The SPD parliamentary group in the German Bundestag demands the immediate and unconditional release of Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh. She is in custody since October 2016 charged with the crime of propaganda against the Socialist State of Vietnam.

“I am extremely concerned about the detention conditions of the blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh... She did not commit a crime, but exercised her right to freedom of speech" says Frank Schwabe, spokes person for human rights of the group. "I demand the immediate release of Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh". [read more] - [tiếng Việt]

Vietnamesische Bloggerin Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh frei lassen

22.12.2016 Frank Schwabe, MdB (SPD) - Frank Schwabe, menschenrechtspolitischer Sprecher: Die SPD-Bundestagsfraktion fordert die sofortige und bedingungslose Freilassung von Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh. Sie wurde im Oktober 2016 wegen Propaganda gegen den sozialistischen Staat von Vietnam inhaftiert.

„Die SPD-Bundestagsfraktion ist über die Haftbedingungen der Bloggerin Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh äußerst besorgt. Sie erhält kein Besuchsrecht für ihre zwei minderjährigen Kinder und andere Familienmitglieder. Eine Rechtsbeihilfe wird ihr verweigert. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh hat kein Verbrechen begangen, sondern nur von ihrem Recht auf Meinungsfreiheit Gebrauch gemacht. [Weiterlesen] - [tiếng Việt]

Fears Grow Over Religious Freedom Restrictions In Vietnam

22.12.2016 Carey Lodge (Christian Today) - Religious freedom in Vietnam is at risk of deteriorating under the government's new Law on Belief and Religion, a senior bishop told officials on Monday.

Bishop Peter Nguyen Van Kham, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam, was speaking at a meeting between government officials and representatives from religious groups, the National Catholic Reporter reports.

Christian persecution charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) previously warned that the new legislation does not conform to international standards on freedom of religion or belief. [read more]

Another Blogger Arrested as Repression in Vietnam Intensifies

21.12.2016 Vietnam Right Now (New America Media) - The Vietnamese government is continuing its campaign to silence independent voices, with the arrest of a 29-year-old blogger in Thanh Hoa province south of the capital.

State media said that Nguyen Danh Dung had posted some 700 video clips defaming government officials on a variety of Youtube and Facebook accounts.

The latest arrest comes a few days after civil society organisations appealed to the international community about an intensifying climate of repression in Vietnam.

The twenty one signatories, representing religious, human rights and pro-democracy organisations, highlighted the “arbitrary detention” of a growing number of activists. [read more]

Viet Nam: incommunicado detention of human rights lawyer and trial of pro-democracy activists shows disdain for international human rights law

16.12.2016 (Amnesty International) - On the one year anniversary of the arrest of human rights lawyer Nguyễn Văn Đài, who has been held incommunicado in pre-trial detention since 16 December 2015, Viet Nam’s authorities have sentenced two pro-democracy activists - Trần Anh Kim and Lê Thanh Tùng - to 13 and 12 years’ imprisonment respectively. Both were convicted for activities aimed at “overthrowing” the state under Article 79 of the 1999 Penal Code. The two men are former prisoners of conscience released in 2015 and re-arrested later the same year in connection with plans to launch a new pro-democracy group named “Raising the flag of democracy” (Lực Lượng Quốc Dân Dựng Cờ Dân Chủ). Other activists are reported to have been prevented from trying to attend the trial, with police stationed outside their homes to stop them from leaving.

The 16 December marks one year since Nguyễn Văn Đài was arrested on his way to meet with European Union (EU) officials who were in Hà Nội for the EU-Viet Nam human rights dialogue that took place a day earlier. Amnesty International calls for the immediate and unconditional release of three named activists, held solely for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression and association, and for the release of all other prisoners of conscience in Viet Nam, whom remain at risk of torture and other ill-treatment. [read more]

Vietnam jails 2 for plotting democratic revolution

16.12.2016 (The Straits Times) - HANOI (AFP) - A court in communist Vietnam jailed two activists for over a decade on Friday (Dec 16) after finding them guilty of attempting to launch a democratic revolution, their lawyers said.

The authoritarian country leans on a raft of broadly-worded national security laws to detain dissidents and dole out lengthy jail terms, drawing frequent criticism from rights groups and Western governments.

On Friday, a court in northern Thai Binh province convicted activists Tran Anh Kim, 67, and Le Thanh Tung, 48, of attempting to overthrow the government by "setting up a democratic force for revolution," said Tung's lawyer Vo An Don. [read more]

Vietnamese human rights lawyer and blogger arbitrarily detained for the last year

16.12.2016 (Reporters without borders) - The Vietnamese government must immediately and unconditionally release human rights lawyer and blogger Nguyen Van Dai who has been arbitrarily detained for a year without access to legal representation or any word of an upcoming trial.

Nguyen Van Dai was arrested on December 16, 2015, charged with “conducting propaganda against the State” under Article 88 of the Vietnamese Penal Code. Vietnamese authorities continue to remain silent regarding the investigation process, with no sign of his trial. Furthermore, neither his wife nor his lawyers have been granted visitation rights. [read more]

Little Dolls From a Vietnamese Prison Carry a Big Message

14.12.2016 Loa (Global Voices) - Have you ever seen a roly poly doll? They are also called tumbler dolls, or wobbly man dolls. They have round heads, round bottoms and no limbs. When you push the doll, it wobbles for a bit but never falls down.

There’s a version made by ethnic minorities in Vietnam — colorful and crocheted. And now there’s another version, made exclusively by one political prisoner: Nguyen Đang Minh Man.

Nguyen Đang Minh Man is a 31-year-old photojournalist and beautician who is currently serving her fifth year in prison. She was sentenced to eight years on charges of subversion. Her mother, Đặng Ngọc Minh, is a former prisoner of conscience, who was arrested at the same time as her daughter, but was released much earlier. [read more]

Feast of Our Lady of Fatima in Ho Chi Minh City parish threatened by the governmen

13.12.2016 (AsiaNews) – On the 13th of every month, parishioners in Thủ Thiêm (District 2, Ho Chi Minh City) attend Mass, pray and have lunch together to celebrate the family on the day of Our Lady of Fatima.

"Parishioners gather to show respect to the Virgin Mary and at the same time they meet and pray for their dearly departed," said Fr James Lê Jang Niem, the priest vicar.

The government in fact has incorporated the Thủ Thiêm area in its urban redevelopment plan, which includes shopping centres, tax offices, hotels and restaurants. As a result of this, many families have had to move away. [read more]

La vida bajo vigilancia de un activista y periodista en Vietnam

13.12.2016 Eric San Juan (La Vanguardia) - La lucha por una democracia plural en Vietnam le ha supuesto al periodista y activista político Pham Chi Dung vivir bajo constante vigilancia policial, con encarcelamientos, arrestos arbitrarios e interrogatorios interminables.

"Llevan dos días sin vigilarme, no sé por qué, normalmente hay varios policías en frente de mi casa y me siguen allá donde voy. No se esconden porque quieren que yo lo sepa", comenta a Efe Pham Chi Dung en una cafetería junto a su domicilio en Ho Chi Minh (antigua Saigón).

Pese a que este año se han producido numerosas movilizaciones ciudadanas en protesta por un desastre medioambiental, aún ve a la población vietnamita poco comprometida para conseguir más derechos civiles.

"Son cosas que solo le importan al 2 o 3 por ciento de la población y en las que estamos implicadas unas mil personas en un país de 90 millones de habitantes. Creo que necesitaremos al menos diez años más para llegar a una democracia", apunta. [seguir leyendo]

Vietnam: Journalist wegen negativer Äußerung über Fidel Castro auf Facebook vom Dienst suspendiert

09.12.2016 von Hai Tran (FVN21) - Nach Meldungen der BBC und anderen Quellen aus Vietnam wurde Phùng Hiệu, ein Mitarbeiter der Zeitung „Nhà Báo & Công Luận“ („der Journalist und die öffentliche Meinung“) vom Dienst suspendiert, gegen ihn ist offiziell ein Disziplinarverfahren eingeleitet worden. Auf seiner privaten Facebook-Seite schrieb Hiệu: „Nach fast 50 Jahren Regentschaft, autoritär, konservativ und unter blindwütiger Vergötterung des Marxismus, hat Fidel Castro ein verarmtes, rückständiges Kuba zurückgelassen. Hoffentlich wird sich die Bevölkerung in Kuba nach seinem Tod auf den Weg der Integration in die zivilisierte Welt begeben.“ "Ich zünde ein Räucherstäbchen für Fidel Castro an und wünsche seinem Volk viel Glück zum Beginn einer neuen Ära", Hiệu weiter. [Weiterlesen]

6th EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue

08.12.2016 (EEAS) - On 8 December 2016 in Brussels the European Union and Vietnam held the sixth round of their annual enhanced Human Rights Dialogue, in the context of the EU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). Both sides consider human rights to be an important component of their bilateral relations, as recognised in the PCA.

The EU highlighted the importance of ensuring that all detainees are able to receive visits, including from lawyers, medical personnel and family members, in line with the Vietnamese Constitution and international human rights provisions.

A number of individual cases were raised, in particular: Mr. Ngo Hao, Mr. Nguyen Huu Vinh (blogger Anh Ba Sam) and his assistant Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, Mr. Nguyen Van Dai and his assistant Ms. Le Thu Ha, Mr Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh (blogger Mother Mushroom), Mr. Nguyen Hoang Quoc Hung, Mr. Doan Huy Chuong, Ms. Bui Thi Minh Hang, Mr. Dang Xuan Dieu and the Most Venerable Thich Quang Do. [read more]

Corte vietnamita confirma condena contra activista por el derecho a la tierra

08.12.2016  Escrito por Đôn Lê / Loa, traducido por Cecilia Cárdenas (Global Voices) - El 30 de noviembre de 2016 el tribunal de apelación de Hanoi ha confirmado la sentencia condenatoria contra la destacada activista por el derecho a la tierra, la vietnamita de 54 años Cấn Thị Thêu.

La corte del pueblo de Hanoi rechazó el pedido de la defensa para reducir el plazo de su condena de 20 meses, mientras cientos de partidarios, a los que no se les permitió presenciar el juicio público, realizaban una protesta frente al edificio del juzgado.

Thêu fue arrestada y acusada de “generar desorden público” en junio y condenada a prisión en septiembre por participar en manifestaciones públicas luego de una de las peores catástrofes ambientales ocurridas en Vietnam. [seguir leyendo]

La récente loi sur la religion est jugée très sévèrement par la presse asiatique

07.12.2016  (Églises d'Asie) - Le texte définitif de la Loi sur les croyances et la religion, tel qu’il a été adopté par l’Assemblée nationale le 18 novembre dernier, est encore introuvable sur les sites gouvernementaux. Seule une version du projet de loi datant du 1er septembre 2016 est aujourd’hui en ligne sur divers sites officiels.

C’est peut-être là une des raisons du peu d’échos que l’adoption de la loi a suscité à l’intérieur du pays. Il est vrai que la plupart des communautés religieuses et, en particulier, l’Eglise catholique avaient fait connaître leurs réactions, bien souvent négatives, avant que la loi ne soit adoptée par une majorité compacte de parlementaires.

Paradoxalement, c’est à l’étranger que la lecture de ce texte législatif a suscité les commentaires critiques les plus approfondis. Ainsi, le 2 décembre, le South China Morning Post, quotidien de Hongkong, fait paraître un article signé de Luke Hunt, journaliste chevronné, dont le titre suggère que la nouvelle loi pourrait bien être un écran de fumée destiné à masquer la répression politique. Trois jours plus tard, le 5 décembre, l’article est repris par un site d’information en ligne australien, Intellasia.net  [en savoir plus]

Vietnam’s Law on Belief and Religion ‘deeply flawed

06.12.2016 by Imogen Faux (World Watch Monitor) - Vietnam’s National Assembly finally ratified (on 18 Nov.) its Law on Belief and Religion amid extensive criticism from parliamentarians, human rights and religious groups, who deem it to be below international standards for human rights.

In an open letter to the Vietnamese government prior to the ratification of the law, the group of organisations and lawmakers rejected a clause stating that religious groups must be registered and approved by the government in order to practise. The letter condemned this as “excessive state interference in religious organisations’ internal affairs”. [read more]

Journalists Find That In Vietnam There Is No Drunk Defense for Criticism

06.12.2016 (RFA) - A pair of Vietnamese journalists were punished after one of them got drunk and posted a tirade critical of late Cuban leader Fidel Castro on his personal Facebook page, RFA’s Vietnamese service has learned.

Journalist Phung Hieu was removed from his position at the Nha Vao & Cong Luan (Journalists & Public Opinion), newspaper after a post in which he criticized Castro for leading Cuba into poverty and isolation.

“After 50 years ruling Cuba with dictatorship, conservativeness and blind worship of Marxism, Fidel Castrol has left behind an obsolete and poor Cuba,” his post read. “Hopefully, after his death, the Cuban people will integrate with the modern world.” [read more]

Vietnamese Court Upholds Jail Sentence for Land Rights Activist

05.12.2016 by Đôn Lê / Loa (Global Voices) - A prominent Vietnamese land rights activist, 54-year-old Cấn Thị Thêu, has had her sentence upheld in her appeal trial on November 30, 2016.

The Hanoi People’s Court declined to reduce her 20-month jail term, while scores of her supporters who were barred from attending the “public” trial protested outside the courthouse.

Thêu was arrested and charged with “causing public disorder” in June and sentenced to prison in September for participating in public demonstrations following one of Vietnam’s largest environmental disasters. [read more]

Vietnam redobla la represión a los disidentes

03.12.2016 (terra) - El régimen comunista de Vietnam ha respondido al aumento de la contestación social de los últimos meses con arrestos y vigilancia continua a los disidentes, según organizaciones defensoras de los derechos humanos.

Un informe de "Human Rights Watch" (HRW) revela que en los nueve primeros meses de 2016 han sido condenados a penas de prisión al menos 18 activistas, entre ellos Nguyen Huu Vinh, que deberá cumplir cinco años de cárcel por criticar al Gobierno en su blog.

La más prominente es Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, apodada "madre seta" (Me Nam, en vietnamita), una mujer de 37 años detenida en su domicilio el pasado 3 de octubre delante de su hija de 8 años.

En noviembre se han producido al menos otros cinco arrestos, entre ellos el del popular Ho Van Hai, mientras que otros disidentes que siguen en libertad se lamentan de la fuerte vigilancia a la que son sometidos.

"No puedo dar un paso sin que me siga la Policía", comenta a Efe por Skype Pham Chi Dung, director del periódico online crítico con el régimen Vietnam Thoi Bao y presidente de la Asociación de Periodistas Independientes. [seguir leyendo]

Is Vietnam’s new religion law a smokescreen for political repression?

02.12.2016 By Luke Hunt (SCMP) - A controversial law on religion passed in Vietnam has triggered renewed fears of state repression in the name of national unity.

Vietnam ignored the wishes of the international community in ratifying the Law on Belief and Religion, which many fear will be used by police and authorities to persecute people of faith. The National Assembly passed it late last month with 85 per cent of the vote, despite unprecedented objections, including some from within the country’s ruling Communist Party.

Among the law’s fiercest critics is the Interfaith Council of Vietnam, whose 27 council members – from Christian, Buddhist, Cao Dai and Hoa Hao communities – say religious groups are under no obligation to obey it. [read more]

Vietnam mantiene la condena a una activista contra expropiaciones de tierras

30.11.2016 (eldiario) -  EFE - Bangkok -  Un tribunal de Vietnam rechazó hoy la apelación a la condena a 20 meses de prisión impuesta contra la activista Can Thi Theu, por una protesta contra el Gobierno por expropiaciones de tierras, informó hoy Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Can Thi Theu, de 54 años, fue detenida el 10 de junio pasado acusada de alterar el orden público por manifestarse ante oficinas gubernamentales contra la confiscación de tierra y condenada en septiembre por un tribunal de Hanoi.

La activista ya cumplió una sentencia de 15 meses de prisión por el mismo delito y salió en libertad en 2015. [seguir leyendo]

Vietnam upholds 20-month jail term for land grab protester

30.11.2016 (Channel NewsAsia) - HANOI: A high-profile Vietnamese activist on Wednesday lost a bid to overturn a 20-month jail term for protesting against illegal land grabs, her lawyer said, after a judge upheld a lower court ruling that had outraged human rights groups.

Vietnam's boom in real estate in recent years has spurred protests by small landowners evicted to make way for construction projects. Many say the evictions are illegal, with authorities paying inadequate compensation.

The Hanoi city court did not alter the prison sentence for Can Thi Theu, 54, lawyer Ha Huy Son told Reuters after the half-day hearing. [read more]

Vietnam Appeals Court Upholds Jail Term for Land-Grab Protester

30.11.2016 (RFA) - A court in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi on Wednesday upheld the conviction of land-grab protester Can Thi Theu, sending her back to prison to serve a 20-month term imposed in September, sources said.

Theu, 54, had been tried on charges of public disorder after being arrested in June for protesting government-sanctioned evictions used to clear the way for commercial development in Duong Noi village outside Hanoi.

It was the second time Theu had been convicted for opposing land grabs. In 2014 she was sentenced to 15 months in jail for her role in a similar protest.

While all land in Vietnam is ultimately held by the state, land confiscations have become a flashpoint as residents accuse the government of pushing small landowners aside in favor of lucrative real estate projects, and of paying too little in compensation to those whose land is taken. [read more]

Christianity At Risk In Vietnam Amid Restrictions On Religious Freedom

25.11.2016 Carey Lodge (Christian Today) - Religious freedom in Vietnam is at serious risk following the passing of the country's first ever Law on Belief and Religion last week.

The law passed on 18 November, despite concerns that it does not conform to international standards on freedom of religion or belief, Christian Solidarity Worldwide has warned.

"Although the final text has not yet been made public, it is not expected to have altered significantly from previous drafts," the charity reported. [read more]

Religious freedom still in the balance in Vietnam

25.11.2016 By Aaron James (Premier Christian Radio) - Christian Solidarity Worldwide has said last week Vietnamese politicians passed the country's first ever bill which, at face value, could enshrine religious freedom.

However, the exact details of the Law on Belief and Religion have not been made public yet and there are concerns the bill will continue to allow the government to force faith groups to register with them, in order to be allowed to meet together and practice.

CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said: "When the possibility of a law on religion was first mentioned, some were hopeful that it would address the obstacles to freedom of religion or belief in the existing regulations.

"Unfortunately, throughout the drafting process, the law continued to focus on the control and management of religious activities, rather than the protection of religious freedom. [read more]

Amnesty International dénonce la répression contre les militants engagés dans le mouvement de protestation contre l’entreprise Formosa

15.11.2016 (Églises d'Asie) - Amnesty International a publié le 8 novembre dernier un communiqué concernant la pollution de l’environnement maritime dans la région du Centre-Vietnam. Il dénonce une campagne policière d’envergure lancée contre les militants catholiques et les blogueurs ayant manifesté ou s’étant exprimés contre le complexe sidérurgique Formosa, responsable la plus grande catastrophe écologique de l’histoire récente du Vietnam

Selon l’association de défense des droits de l’homme, la Sécurité publique a repéré et inscrit sur ses tablettes les militants et dissidents ayant élevé la voix contre l’entreprise taïwanaise Formosa et en faveur d’une juste indemnisation des victimes. En représailles des manifestations, des arrestations ont eu lieu et les personnes les plus engagés ont été harcelées. De véritables violations des droits de l’homme ont été commises, affirme le communiqué. [en savoir plus]

Cấn Thị Thêu, la vietnamita activista por la tierra, ha enfrentado violencia, arresto y encarcelamiento

12.11.2016 Escrito por Loa, Traducido por Milena Bernachea (Global Voices) - Relata la historia de la activista por los derechos sobre la tierra Can Thi Theu, quien fue arrestada en junio pasado por ‘provocar desorden público’ durante una manifestación. El 20 de setiembre fue sentenciada a 20 meses de prisión.

Cấn Thị Thêu, de 53 años, comenzó a residir en Dương Nội, una aldea a las afueras de Hanói, tras casarse con un granjero local. A fines del 2007 el gobierno les quitó sus tierras, y ella se convirtió en una activista por los derechos sobre la tierra.

Según un reporte reciente de Responsabilidad Social Corporativa en Asia, se estima que el 80 por ciento de todas las quejas presentadas por ciudadanos agraviados a las autoridades están relacionadas a disputas territoriales y compensación injusta. [seguir leyendo]

Vietnam: Skepsis über Religionsgesetz

09.11.2016 (Radio Vatikan) - Aktivisten sehen das geplante Religionsgesetz mit Skepsis und Sorge. Wenn das Parlament den Text in seiner jetzigen Form beschließe, könnte das „viele Konflikte im Innern der Gesellschaft auslösen“, zitiert die kirchliche Nachrichtenagentur asianews ungenannte Aktivisten in Vietnam. Der Text gäbe aus ihrer Sicht den Behörden eine Handhabe, um die Religionsfreiheit im Land de facto außer Kraft zu setzen [Weiterlesen]

Steinmeier fordert politische Reformen in Vietnam

01.11.2016 von Patricia Wiedemeyer, Hanoi (ZDF)  - Außenminister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) hat das kommunistische Vietnam zu einer weiteren Öffnung aufgerufen. In Hanoi fordert er nach den jüngsten Wirtschaftsreformen nun auch politische Veränderungen. Seit 2011 verbindet beide Länder eine strategische Partnerschaft.

Deutschland ist in diesem Jahr der größte EU-Handelspartner Vietnams.

Aber auch die politischen Beziehungen zwischen dem kommunistischen Ein-Parteien-Staat und Deutschland sind traditionell stark.

Das schließt jedoch nicht aus, dass Außenminister Steinmeier bei seinem Besuch in Vietnam immer wieder auch politische Reformen einfordert - bei seinen Gesprächen mit seinem Amtskollegen etwa, mit dem Ministerpräsidenten oder vor Studenten der Rechtshochschule Hanoi. Er kritisiert Verstöße gegen grundlegende Bürger- und Menschenrechte: Ein Rechtsstaat sei ohne die bürgerlichen Freiheiten und ohne Meinungsfreiheit nicht denkbar, so Steinmeier. Ein moderner Staat brauche auch eine starke Zivilgesellschaft. [Weiterlesen]

UN Human Rights Chief urges Viet Nam to halt crackdown on bloggers and rights defenders

14.10.2016 (OHCHR) GENEVA - UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Friday expressed concern about a growing crackdown by the Viet Nam Government on human rights defenders, including the arrest this week of popular blogger and Government critic Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, known online as Mother Mushroom.

Quynh was arrested on Monday in the central province of Khanh Hoa under Article 88 of the Penal Code, which prohibits “conducting propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.” [read more]

Bekannte Bloggerin in Vietnam verhaftet

12.10.2016 (DW) - Journalistenverbände, EU und die USA kritisieren, die Festnahme verstoße gegen Menschenrechte und fordern die Freilassung der Aktivistin. Die vietnamesischen Behörden werfen ihr "Propaganda gegen den Staat" vor.

"Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh ist eine der prominentesten und freimütigsten Blogger und sie sollte bedingungslos und unverzüglich freigelassen werden", forderte das in New York ansässige Komitee zum Schutz von Journalisten. Ähnlich äußerten sich Vertreter der EU und der USA: Die Verhaftung der Regimekritikerin widerspreche den internationalen und nationalen Menschenrechtsverpflichtungen Vietnams.

Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh war bereits Anfang der Woche festgenommen worden, als sie einen inhaftierten politischen Aktivisten in der Küstenstadt Nha Trang besuchen wollte. Medienberichten zufolge wurde die auch unter dem Namen "Me Nam" bekannte Bloggerin in Handschellen abgeführt. Außerdem wurden ihr Haus durchsucht und ihr Computer beschlagnahmt. [Weiterlesen]

2015 Civil Rights Defender of the Year Arrested in Vietnam

11.10.2016 (CRD) - On 10 October, the Vietnamese Blogger, Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh was detained by the authorities in Khanh Hoa province of Vietnam accused of spreading propaganda against the State. Writing under the pen name Me Nam (Mother Mushroom), Ms. Qunyh was the 2015 recipient of the Civil Rights Defender of the Year Award.

Because of her activism for free expression and fighting for the implementation of universal human rights, she has previously been arrested, detained, interrogated and beaten up by the security police on numerous occasions. In one of the most serious cases, she was taken away at midnight in 2009 from her home with her two year old daughter left behind and detained for ten days. [read more]

Statement by Ambassador – Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam on the arrest of Ms Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh

11.10.2016 (EEAS) - Ms. Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh, Coordinator for the Vietnamese Bloggers Network and well known for her public defence of human rights, was arrested yesterday, according to official sources, on charges of "conducting propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" (Art. 88 of the Penal Code). In 2015, Ms. Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh was awarded as Defender of the Year by the Swedish human rights organisation "Civil Rights Defenders".

This arrest goes against Vietnam's international and domestic human rights obligations, notably the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Vietnam is a party since 1982, and the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. [read more]

Driven by Environmental Protests, Vietnam Tightens Civil Liberties

11.10.2016 (RFA) - There are growing signs that the Vietnamese government is moving to smother dissent, as the one-party regime in recent days has labeled a pro-democracy group a terrorist organization, imprisoned a blogger critical of the government and blockaded a group of activists trying to conduct a civil society workshop.

It is unclear why the Vietnamese government decided to make the moves at this time, but the ruling troika of President Tran Dai Quang, Communist Party Secretary-general Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc appear to be sending a message that they will tolerate little criticism. [read more]

US: Vietnamese Court Decisions Against Bloggers, Activist Troubling

26.09.2016 (VOA) - WASHINGTON — Two decisions by Vietnamese courts sentencing a land rights activist to jail and upholding prison terms for two political bloggers are a concern for the United States, the U.S. State Department said on Monday.

"The use of criminal provisions by Vietnamese authorities to penalize individuals for exercising their right to freedom of expression ... is ... troubling," spokesman Mark Toner said at a daily news briefing.

Well-known Vietnamese political blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh, 60, and his assistant, Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, 36, lost their appeal on Thursday when a higher court upheld their jail terms and reaffirmed they had abused their freedom and hurt the state's interests.

On Tuesday, a district court in Hanoi sentenced Can Thi Theu to 20 months in jail for causing public disorder, her lawyer said, jailing the land rights activist for a second time over a similar offense in a case a top human rights group said should have been dropped. [read more]

Vietnam: Kein faires Berufungsverfahren für den Menschenrechtler Nguyen Huu Vinh

23.09.2016 Presseerklärung von MdB Martin Patzelt

Zu meinem großen Bedauern hat die Rechtsstaatlichkeit im Berufungsverfahren (siehe meine PM vom 13.09.2016) gegen den vietnamesischen Menschenrechtler und Blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh sowie seine Assistentin Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy wieder versagt. Beide Urteile der ersten Instanz wurden zu Unrecht bestätigt. Beide Verurteilten sehen sich unschuldig ob des Vorwurfs des Missbrauchs demokratischer Freiheiten.

Es wurde kein fairer Prozess geführt, da weder Staatsanwälte noch Anwälte der Angeklagten ihre Argumente  ausreichend darlegen durften. Das Urteil bedeutet nun, nach Abzug der entsprechenden Untersuchungshaft, noch zweieinhalb Jahre Haft für Nguyen Huu Vinh und ein halbes Jahr Haft für seine Assistentin Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy.

Die Hoffnung auf ein anderes faires Urteil wurde enttäuscht. Vorsorglich wurde das Gericht weiträumig  abgesperrt, um mögliche Demonstranten fern zu halten. Daher demonstrierten dutzende Freunde an verschiedenen

anderen Plätzen.

Ich bin immer noch davon überzeugt, dass Nguyen Huu Vinh mit dem ihm zur Last gelegten Verhalten seinem Heimatland Vietnam keinen Schaden zufügen wollte, sondern aus seiner Sicht an einer gedeihlichen und positiven Entwicklung seines Landes interessiert war und ist. Ich werde versuchen, ihn im kommenden Jahr im Gefängnis besuchen und mich weiterhin für seine Freilassung einsetzen. Menschen, die auch für unsre Würde und unsere Rechte Gefahren und Leid erdulden, verdienen unseren Dank und jede mögliche Unterstützung.

Menschenrechtsbeauftragte zur Haftstrafe für den vietnamesischen Blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh

23.09.2016 (Auswärtiges Amt) - Zum gestrigen Urteil eines Berufungsgerichts in Hanoi, das die Haftstrafen für den bekannten vietnamesischen Blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh und seine Assistentin bestätigte, sagte die Menschenrechtsbeauftragte der Bundesregierung, Bärbel Kofler, heute (23.09.):

Mit Bestürzung habe ich erfahren, dass das Berufungsgericht in Hanoi an den hohen Haftstrafen für den Blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh (fünf Jahre) und seine Assistentin Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy (drei Jahre) festgehalten hat. Es bleibt leider dabei, dass in Vietnam Bürger wegen der Wahrnehmung ihres Rechts auf freie Meinungsäußerung jahrelang hinter Gitter müssen. Die Meinungsfreiheit wie auch die Pressefreiheit sind in Vietnam verfassungsmäßig verbriefte Grundrechte.

Ich rufe Vietnam dazu auf, die Strafen gegen Nguyen Huu Vinh und seine Assistentin aufzuheben. Festnahmen, Haftstrafen und Repressalien dürfen kein Mittel des Staates gegen unbequeme Blogger und Journalisten sein. Das gilt mit Blick auf die vietnamesische Verfassung, aber auch auf internationale Verpflichtungen im Bereich Menschenrechte.

Hintergrund:

Nguyen Huu Vinh wurde im Mai 2014 verhaftet und im März 2016 wegen "Missbrauchs demokratischer Freiheiten" zu fünf Jahren Haft verurteilt, seine mitangeklagte Assistentin Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy zu drei  Jahren Haft. Zwischen Verhaftung und erstinstanzlichem Urteil lagen fast zwei Jahre. Nach Berichten der Familie und von NGOs darf Vinh seit Oktober 2015 weder Besuch von seiner Frau empfangen, noch Briefe an die Familie schicken.

Vinh war Gründer und Autor von Internetseiten, die in erster Linie einen Überblick zu aktuellen Nachrichten in Vietnam gaben. In dem erstinstanzlichen Verfahren wurde ihm vorgeworfen, durch unwahre Behauptungen und Anschuldigungen in mehreren Internet-Artikeln seine demokratischen Rechte zur Verletzung staatlicher Interessen missbraucht zu haben. Die Artikel setzten sich unter anderem mit der Rolle der Kommunistischen Partei, Korruption und vietnamesisch-chinesischen Spannungen auseinander.

Appeals court upholds anti-state prison sentences for Vietnamese bloggers

23.09.2016 (CPJ) - Bangkok, September 23, 2016--The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemned a Vietnamese appellate court ruling yesterday to uphold the convictions on anti-state charges of two independent bloggers.

Nguyen Huu Vinh, founder of the Ba Sam (Talking Nonsense) news website and aggregator, and Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, his editorial assistant, were sentenced in a one-day trial in March to five and three years in prison respectively under Article 258 of the penal code. [read more]

Vietnamese dissident bloggers sent back to prison

Nguyen Huu Vinh, Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy convicted of ‘abusing freedom and democracy to infringe upon interests of state'

22.09.2016 By Bennett Murray (Anadolu Agency) - A Hanoi court announced Thursday night that it had upheld the prison sentences for two dissident bloggers convicted of anti-state crimes.

Nguyen Huu Vinh, also known by his pen name Anh Ba Sam, and his assistant Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy will continue their respective five- and three-year prison sentences which were handed down in March.

Vinh, a former national police officer and ruling Communist Party member, had run a website that shared news on Vietnam from a variety of sources, including state-run media and anti-government blogs. [read more]

Vietnam upholds jail terms for political bloggers

22.09.2016 (Reuters) - A well-known Vietnamese political blogger and his assistant lost their appeal on Thursday when a higher court upheld their jail terms and reaffirmed they had abused their freedom and hurt the state's interests.

The five-year term for blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh, 60, and the three-year term for Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, 36, were handed down in March and human rights and press freedom advocates have called for their release.

"I am fully innocent," Vinh said in his last words in a calm but decisive voice prior to the verdict, speaking to a small group of onlookers, including his wife and son, in the court, roads to which were blocked by police. [read more]

Vietnam land rights activist jailed again

20.09.2016 (Business Standard) - A Vietnamese court sentenced a land activist to 20 months in prison today for public disorder, her lawyer said, the second time she has been jailed for accusing authorities of snatching farmland for developers.

Can Thi Theu, 54, was arrested in June after protesting in the capital, accusing the government of unfairly compensating residents for land in the Duong Noi area on the outskirts of Hanoi.

This is Theu's second conviction for her activism. In 2014 she was sentenced to 15 months in jail for a protest against government seizure of land in Duong Noi. [read more]

Vietnam: Drop Charges and Free Land Rights Activist

Engage Those Protesting Confiscations Instead of Jailing Them

17.09.2016 (HRW) - (New York) – Vietnamese authorities should drop all charges and unconditionally release a prominent land rights activist facing trial for peacefully exercising her rights, Human Rights Watch said today. On September 20, 2016, a court in Hanoi will begin the trial of Can Thi Theu for “disrupting public order” under article 245 of the penal code after she and others staged peaceful protests against land confiscation.

“Conflicts between farmers and the government over land confiscation have become a serious problem in Vietnam in the last few years,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The government should reform its land law and compensation system instead of punishing people who protest the loss of their land.” [read more]

A Saigon, les autorités expulsent des moines de l’Eglise bouddhiste unifiée

12.09.2016 (Églises d'Asie) - Après une longue période d’attente, et de vives tensions, la pagode Liên Tri du deuxième arrondissement de Saigon vient d’être expropriée par la force, ce 8 septembre. La pagode était l’un des rares établissements religieux encore sous la direction de l’Eglise bouddhiste unifiée, une communauté qui rassemble religieux et fidèles ayant refusé d’être inféodés au régime actuel. C’est le vénérable Thich Không Tanh, un religieux dissident, qui est le desservant officiel de la pagode.

L’opération du 8 septembre dernier se préparait depuis quelques jours, semble-t-il. Selon le témoignage d’un religieux à une radio étrangère, le quartier de la pagode était entouré depuis le 6 septembre par un cordon de police si dense « qu’une fourmi n’aurait pu s’y introduire ». [en savoir plus]

Vietnamese Authorities Demolish Buddhist Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City

12.09.2016 (RFA) - Government authorities in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City have destroyed a Buddhist pagoda from which they recently evicted monks, and have moved all of the temple’s contents to another location, the head of the religious institution said Monday.

On Sept. 8, authorities forcibly removed all monks from Lien Tri Pagoda, which belongs to the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam and is located in district two of the city’s An Khanh ward, to clear the land for a lucrative development project. The Vietnamese government does not recognize the church.

“Lien Tri Pagoda is more than 70 years old, but they’ve destroyed the entire pagoda, and now it has become empty land,” Thich Khong Tanh, the resident abbot in charge of the pagoda, told RFA’s Vietnamese Service. [read more]

Ho Chi Minh City police raid pagoda, evict monks

09.09.2016 (AsiaNews) - Vietnamese authorities yesterday raided at a Buddhist pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City, evicting the monks and taking possession of the property. Police surrounded the building, preventing monks’ supporters from approaching.

Lien Tri pagoda belongs to the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam, which is not recognised by Vietnamese authorities, and is located in the south of the city.

The authorities also plan to demolish two Christian churches.

In the district, police also blocked Christians, fearing they would interfere with the evictions at Lien Tri Pagoda.

Fr Anthony Le Ngoc Thanh, a priest at the Roman Catholic Redemptorist Church in Ho Chi Minh City, said that agents followed church members early Thursday morning as they were going to Mass. [read more]

Ho Chi Minh: la policía irrumpe en una pagoda y expulsa a los monjes

09.09.2016 (AsiaNews) - Las autoridades vietnamitas allanaron ayer una pagoda budista en Ho Chi Minh, expulsando de allí a los monjes que vivían en ella, y se apoderaron de la propiedad. Otros policías rodearon el edificio, evitando que los partidarios de los monjes se aproximaran. La pagoda Lien Tri pertenence a la Iglesia Budista Unificada de Vietnam (no reconocida por Hanói) y está situada en el sur de la ciudad.

El proyecto de las autoridades también incluye la demolición de dos iglesias cristianas en la zona de Thu Thiem. Los funcionarios del distrito han bloqueado las actividades realizadas por los fieles cristianos, por temor a que pudieran acudir en ayuda de los budistas. El P. Anthony Le Ngoc Thanh, sacerdote católico redentorista, dijo que la policía ha seguido a los fieles en su camino a la misa matutina: "Cuando volvimos a casa - dice - instalaron un puesto de control frente a nuestras casas. Tal vez pensaron que iríamos a la pagoda Lien Tri para interferir en el desalojo, pero no teníamos intenciones de hacerlo". [seguir leyendo]

Les évêques vietnamiens commentent le nouveau projet de loi sur les croyances et la religion

06.09.2016 (Églises d'Asie) - Le nouveau projet de loi sur la religion, envoyé aux responsables religieux en ce mois d’août 2016, aura bénéficié de plusieurs appellations. Dans les premières réunions où l’on a fait mention de lui à Hanoi, il était appelé « version du projet du 8 août 2016 ». La contribution critique qui vient d’être envoyée aux autorités par le Comité permanent de la Conférence épiscopale du Vietnam le nomme « version du projet de loi du 17 août », se référant ainsi à la date de l’envoi de cette nouvelle ébauche de la loi sur la religion. Ce long texte, signé par le secrétaire adjoint de la conférence épiscopale, Mgr Nguyên Van Kham, est le fruit du travail de son comité permanent. Les auteurs de la contribution se sont plaints de la brièveté du délai qui leur a été accordé par les autorités pour rédiger leur compte-rendu critique (du 18 au 30 août 2016). [en savoir plus]

Vietnamese citizen Nguyen Quang A nominated for the 'Human Rights Tulip' 29.08.2016 (Human Rights Tulip) - Mr Nguyen Quang A, a Vietnamese citizen, is one of the 10 nominees for the Dutch "Human Rights Tulip", an annual prize to a human rights defender or organization who promotes and supports human rights in innovative ways. The public can now vote on one of the 10 nominees. The winner of the Human Rights Tulip will be announced on December 10, the International Human Rights Day. The Human Rights Tulip is an annual prize to a human rights defender or organization who promotes and supports human rights in innovative ways. From amongst 91 nominees from around the world, 10 nominees were selected by the NGO Justice & Peace. Public online voting opens on Monday 29 August at 12.00 and will close on Wednesday 7 September at 23.59. [read more]

You can vote for your favorite candidate here: http://www.humanrightstulip.nl/candidates-and-voting

Urgent Action - Misshandlung ausgesetzt

26.08.2016 (Amnesty International) - Der Menschenrechtsverteidiger und gewaltlose politische Gefangene Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức verbüßt eine 16-jährige Haftstrafe und wurde nun in ein abgelegenes Gefängnis im Norden Vietnams gebracht. Dieses befindet sich mehr als eine Tagesreise vom Wohnort seiner Familie entfernt. Er ist Misshandlungen ausgesetzt, weil er sich weigert, Gefängnisarbeit zu verrichten. Dies verstößt gegen das Verbot von Folter und anderer grausamer, unmenschlicher oder erniedrigender Behandlung...

SCHREIBEN SIE BITTE E-MAILS, LUFTPOSTBRIEFE ODER FAXE MIT FOLGENDEN FORDERUNGEN

Bitte sorgen Sie für die unmittelbare und bedingungslose Freilassung von Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức, da er ein gewaltloser politischer Gefangener ist, der allein wegen der Ausübung seines Rechts auf freie Meinungsäußerung festgehalten wird. ... [Weiterlesen]

Migrant women of Viet Nam claim social protection and rights

24.08.2016 (UN Women) - An estimated 40 – 50 per cent of migrants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the two biggest cities in Viet Nam, are women, and they face distinct challenges. Low and unstable incomes and lack of social protection make them particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. But migrant women workers of Viet Nam refuse to live on the fringes any longer. More than 10,000 migrant workers have learnt how to access social welfare benefits, legal protection and health care. They are advocating for their rights and helping one another.

“When my husband died, my mother-in-law threw me and my daughter out of the house. I moved to Hanoi to find work,” shares Hau, a 37-year-old migrant woman from Hai Duong province in northern Viet Nam. She lives in a shanty house in the An Xa neighbourhood with her 12-year-old daughter.

Since the mid-1990s, rapid industrialization and urbanization in Viet Nam have led to an ever-increasing flow of migrant workers from rural to urban areas. In 2014, the Vietnamese Government estimated there were 9.2 million domestic migrants in urban areas. An estimated 40 to 50 per cent of migrants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the two biggest cities in Viet Nam, are women, [1] and they face distinct challenges. [read more]

Interview: 'I have never seen any trial like this before'

24.08.2016 (RFA) - Nguyen Thi Nay's son Nguyen Huu Quoc Duy, 31, was arrested by provincial police on Nov. 21, 2015, after authorities accused him and his cousin, Nguyen Huu Thien An, of using Duy’s Facebook page to incite others to oppose the government. He was sentenced on Aug. 23 to three years in prison by a court in Khanh Hoa’s Nha Trang city under Article 88 of Vietnam’s penal code. Nguyen Thi Nay spoke to Mac Lam of RFA's Vietnamese service about her ordeal on the trial day and her reaction to the stern sentence. [read more]

Cousin activists jailed in Vietnam for 'propaganda'

24.08.2016 (Channel NewsAsia) - HANOI: Two Vietnamese cousins have been convicted for spreading anti-state "propaganda", state media reported, the latest activists to be jailed in the country.

Nguyen Huu Quoc Duy, 31 and his cousin Nguyen Huu Thien An, 21, were convicted of "propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam," at a closed one-day trial, state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA) said late on Tuesday (Aug 23).

Duy was found guilty of sharing "dozens of articles with wrongful viewpoints ... distorting the party and state policy" on his Facebook page, VNA reported, citing the verdict from the court in Vietnam's southern Khanh Hoa province. [read more]

Aktivisten in Vietnam wegen kritischen Kommentaren im Internet verurteilt

24.08.2016 (heise.de) - Zwei junge Männer wurden in Vietnam zu zwei und drei Jahren Haft verurteilt, weil sie die Regierung in sozialen Medien kritisiert haben sollen.

In Vietnam sind zwei Aktivisten zu Gefängnisstrafen verurteilt worden, weil sie die Regierung in sozialen Medien kritisiert hatten. Das Gericht in der zentralvietnamesischen Provinz Khanh Hoa verurteilte Nguyen Huu Thien An (21) zu zwei Jahren Haft und seinen Cousin Nguyen Huu Quoc Duy (31) zu drei Jahren, wie amtliche Medien am Mittwoch berichteten. Die Männer hatten kritische Artikel über die regierende kommunistische Partei gepostet und geteilt. [Weiterlesen]

HRW condena las condenas de dos personas en Vietnam por expresar su opinión

24.08.2016 (Wradio) - Bangkok (EFE) - Human Rights Watch (HRW) condenó hoy las sentencias emitidas la víspera en Vietnam contra dos nacionales que divulgaron por las redes sociales comentarios críticos con las políticas del Gobierno.

"Es difícil encontrar una violación de la libertad de expresión más flagrante que esta, en la que las autoridades de Vietnam están enviando a la cárcel a estas dos personas porque publicaron comentarios críticos", dijo el subdirector para Asia de HRW, Phil Robertson, en una nota de prensa.

El vietnamita Nguyen Huu Quoc Duy, de 31 años de edad, fue detenido en noviembre de 2015 y ha sido condenado a tres años de cárcel por difundir propaganda contra el estado, según la sentencia emitida ayer por un tribunal de justicia de Nha Trang, una ciudad costera del sur de Vietnam.

Nguyen Huu Thien An, primo del anterior, recibió el mismo día una condena de dos años de prisión por publicar comentarios críticos en la cuenta en una red social del otro. [seguir leyendo]

Au Vietnam, prison ferme pour propagande antigouvernementale

24.08.2016 (Romandie) - Hanoi (Vietnam) - Deux Vietnamiens ont été condamnés mardi à de la prison ferme pour propagande antigouvernementale sur les réseaux sociaux, dans un pays communiste où les opposants sont nombreux à être emprisonnés pour avoir exprimé leurs idées.

Nguyen Huu Quoc Duy, âgé de 31 ans, et son cousin Nguyen Huu Thien An, 21 ans, ont été condamnés respectivement à trois ans et deux ans de prison ferme, à l'issue d'un procès d'une seule journée dans la ville de Khanh Hoa, dans le sud du pays, ont rapporté les médias d'Etat mercredi.

Duy a été reconnu coupable d'avoir partagé sur sa page Facebook des dizaines d'articles aux points de vue erronés... déformant la politique du parti et de l'Etat. [en savoir plus]

'Over 100 Vietnam Pastors Jailed In Crackdown'

18.08.2016 By BosNewsLife Asia Service (BosNewsLife) - HANOI, VIETNAM -- Christian rights activists say more than 100 Vietnamese pastors of house churches in Vietnam remain jailed in Vietnam for refusing to join the central church in the communist nation.

"The government-controlled "official church" wants to combine multiple house churches in order to control and diminish the influence of the thriving independent churches," said advocacy group Voice Of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC), which closely follows the situation.

Christians say a group of house churches representing a total membership of 3,000 was ordered to merge their congregations and meet in a building that can hold only about 500 people. "In order for vitally needed ministry to endure, missionaries are trained secretly and Bible study groups move from village to village so they cannot be tracked down," VOMC explained. [read more]

Vietnam Police Block, Beat Catholic Villagers Protesting Losses After Fish Kill

16.08.2016 (RFA) - More than 4,000 Vietnamese Catholic parishioners were blocked and assaulted by police on Monday as they attempted to march to township offices to protest government inaction over their loss of livelihood following a massive pollution-linked fish kill in April, sources say.

The April spill caused an estimated 70 tons of dead fish to wash up on the shores of Vietnam’s central coast and was blamed on a release of toxic chemicals from a steel mill owned by a subsidiary of Taiwan-based Formosa Plastics Group.

Marchers had tried several times in the past to demand relief from authorities in Vietnam’s coastal Ha Tinh province, “but the police always stopped us,” a protester named Phuong told RFA’s Vietnamese Service. [read more]

Vietnam: Une pétition demande la libération de plus de cent pasteurs emprisonnés

12.08.2016 (Evangeliques.info) - Une pétition en ligne a été lancée sur Citizengo afin de demander au gouvernement vietnamien de garantir la liberté religieuse, comme le décrète la Constitution, ainsi que de libérer la centaine de pasteurs emprisonnés.

Plus de 52'500 personnes ont déjà paraphé cette pétition, qui vise à atteindre les 100'000 signatures. [en savoir plus]

Patzelt kämpft für vietnamesischen Blogger 03.08.2016 (Deutscher Bundestag) - Nguyen Huu Vinh ist im Frühjahr zu fünf Jahren Haft verurteilt worden. Martin Patzelt (CDU/CSU) war beim Prozess vor Ort (Bild mit Nguyen Huu Vinhs Frau, d.Red.) in Vietnam. Er will sich im Rahmen des Programms "Parlamentarier schützen Parlamentarier" des Bundestages weiter für den vietnamesischen Menschenrechtler einsetzen. Denn Nguyen Huu Vinh habe eigentlich nur das gemacht, was in einem demokratischen Staat zum Grundrecht gehört, sagt Patzelt. Er habe auf etwas aufmerksam gemacht, das aus seiner Sicht falsch läuft. Insgesamt äußerte der Menschenrechtler aber in den Augen des Staatsapparats zu viel Kritik. 2014 wurden Nguyen und eine Mitarbeiterin festgenommen, wegen 24 Artikeln in zwei angeblich illegalen Blogs. Der bekannte Blogger erhielt schnell internationale Unterstützung, unter anderem wurde er in das Programm des Deutschen Bundestages "Parlamentarier schützen Parlamentarier" aufgenommen. Patzelt wurde angesprochen, ob er die Patenschaft übernehmen wolle. "Ich bin zuständiger Berichterstatter für Südostasien für meine Partei im Menschenrechtsausschuss. Ich dachte, das passt dann gut", sagt Patzelt.

Patzelt will den Fall weiter verfolgen. "Meine Aufgabe ist es jetzt, mit der Frau und den Anwälten in Kontakt zu bleiben und zu fragen, wie ich helfen kann." Dabei kann sich Patzelt sowohl ideelle als auch materielle Unterstützung vorstellen. "Vielleicht braucht er mal Medizin", nennt er ein Beispiel. Außerdem will Patzelt Nguyen Huu Vinh so schnell wie möglich im Gefängnis besuchen. [read more]

Vietnam: Show Rights Commitment at Australia Talks

Free Political Prisoners; End Abuse of Activists

01.08.2016 (HRW) - (Sydney) – Australia should press for significant and solid improvement during its 13th human rights dialogue with Vietnam, Human Rights Watch said today. Vietnam should show its commitment to reforms by immediately releasing all political prisoners and detainees, ending harassment and violence against rights activists, respecting freedom of religion, curbing police brutality, and preventing any punishment of boat people returnees. The agenda and outcome of the dialogue in Hanoi on August 4, 2016, should be made public.

In a submission to the Australian government ahead of the dialogue, Human Rights Watch urged Australia to focus on political prisoners and detainees; harassment, violence and restrictions on activists and dissidents; repression of freedom of religion; police brutality; and criminal punishment of Vietnamese boat returnees in contravention of government assurances. [read more]

Australia – Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue

Human Rights Watch Submission

01.08.2016 (HRW) - We write on the occasion of the forthcoming 13th Australia-Vietnam human rights dialogue, scheduled to be held in Vietnam in August 2016. Australia should raise pressing human rights issues in an unambiguous manner, set clear benchmarks for improvements, and make the outcome of the discussions public.

Human Rights Watch recommends that Australia should focus on political prisoners and detainees; harassment, violence, and restrictions on activists and dissidents; repression of freedom of religion; police brutality; and Vietnamese boat returns.

Recommendations

Australia should publicly and privately call on the Vietnamese government to:

Immediately end government-sponsored vigilantism.

Investigate all violent attacks against bloggers and activists and hold assailants accountable.

Permit individuals the right to associate freely and peacefully with others of similar views regardless of whether those views run counter to the political or ideological views approved by the Party and state.

Permit activists to travel within the country and abroad freely. [read more]