Former political prisoner of conscience Nguyen Xuan Nghia
By Defend the Defenders, October 18, 2017
Authorities in Vietnam’s northern city of Haiphong have summoned a local former prisoner of conscience Nguyen Xuan Nghia to a police station to question him about his relations with Brotherhood for Democracy, an online organization which has been a main target of the ongoing crackdown.
In the morning of October 17, in a police station, security officers interrogated him about his relations with imprisoned key figures of Brotherhood for Democracy such as Nguyen Trung Ton, Pham Van Troi and Nguyen Van Tuc, who were arrested few months ago and charged with “carrying out activities aiming to overthrow the government” under Article 79 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code.
Police also questioned about Facebook postings about human rights and democracy under nickname Nguyen Xuan Nghia.
Police left him to go home at noon but requested him to come back in the afternoon, however, he rejected, saying if they want to summon him, they have to issue a written letter.
Mr. Nghia, who spent six years in prison in 2008-2013 on allegation of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the Penal Code, said police officers told him not to publicize the contents of the interrogation to social networks, including Facebook, the most popular communication tool in the heavily-censored Vietnam. His three-year probation period ended last year.
Mr. Nghia, 66, is a poet, writer and journalist. He is a member of the Haiphong Writers’ Association and one of co-founding members of the 8406 Bloc, a banned pro-democracy organization in Vietnam.
His writings have been banned for publication since 2003 since they promote multi-party democracy and human rights in the communist nation.
Two years ago, he was honored with the Freedom of Expression Prize of the Norwegian Authors’ Union for his writings which aims to promote multi-party democracy and human rights.
After being released from prison, he continues to work to promote multi-party democracy and human rights in the one-party state.
He has been under constant harassment from local police who have often placed him under house arrest or summoned him to police station for interrogation.
Sometimes, local police also sent plainclothes agents and thugs to assault other activists coming to visit him.
The summoning of Mr. Nghia this time is part of Vietnam’s ongoing crackdown on local activists in which Brotherhood for Democracy and the California-based Vietnam Reform Party are being main targets. Ten activists from the two organizations have been detained in the last few months and charged with subversion.
Facing a number of obstacles, including poor economic performance, systemic corruption, serious environmental pollution, China’s increasing aggressiveness in the East Sea (South China Sea), the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam and its government have intensified persecution against local activists in order to prevent the formation of opposition party.
The government has also tightened online activities to silence netizens. A number of bloggers have been imprisoned in the past few years.
Height Insoles: Hi, I do believe this is an excellent site. I stumbledupon …
http://fishinglovers.net: Appreciate you sharing, great post.Thanks Again. Keep writi…
Achilles Pain causes: Every weekend i used to pay a quick visit this site, as i w…
October 18, 2017
Former Political Prisoner Summoned, Interrogated about Relations with Brotherhood for Democracy
by Nhan Quyen • Nguyen Xuan Nghia
Former political prisoner of conscience Nguyen Xuan Nghia
By Defend the Defenders, October 18, 2017
Authorities in Vietnam’s northern city of Haiphong have summoned a local former prisoner of conscience Nguyen Xuan Nghia to a police station to question him about his relations with Brotherhood for Democracy, an online organization which has been a main target of the ongoing crackdown.
In the morning of October 17, in a police station, security officers interrogated him about his relations with imprisoned key figures of Brotherhood for Democracy such as Nguyen Trung Ton, Pham Van Troi and Nguyen Van Tuc, who were arrested few months ago and charged with “carrying out activities aiming to overthrow the government” under Article 79 of the country’s 1999 Penal Code.
Police also questioned about Facebook postings about human rights and democracy under nickname Nguyen Xuan Nghia.
Police left him to go home at noon but requested him to come back in the afternoon, however, he rejected, saying if they want to summon him, they have to issue a written letter.
Mr. Nghia, who spent six years in prison in 2008-2013 on allegation of “conducting anti-state propaganda” under Article 88 of the Penal Code, said police officers told him not to publicize the contents of the interrogation to social networks, including Facebook, the most popular communication tool in the heavily-censored Vietnam. His three-year probation period ended last year.
Mr. Nghia, 66, is a poet, writer and journalist. He is a member of the Haiphong Writers’ Association and one of co-founding members of the 8406 Bloc, a banned pro-democracy organization in Vietnam.
His writings have been banned for publication since 2003 since they promote multi-party democracy and human rights in the communist nation.
Two years ago, he was honored with the Freedom of Expression Prize of the Norwegian Authors’ Union for his writings which aims to promote multi-party democracy and human rights.
After being released from prison, he continues to work to promote multi-party democracy and human rights in the one-party state.
He has been under constant harassment from local police who have often placed him under house arrest or summoned him to police station for interrogation.
Sometimes, local police also sent plainclothes agents and thugs to assault other activists coming to visit him.
The summoning of Mr. Nghia this time is part of Vietnam’s ongoing crackdown on local activists in which Brotherhood for Democracy and the California-based Vietnam Reform Party are being main targets. Ten activists from the two organizations have been detained in the last few months and charged with subversion.
Facing a number of obstacles, including poor economic performance, systemic corruption, serious environmental pollution, China’s increasing aggressiveness in the East Sea (South China Sea), the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam and its government have intensified persecution against local activists in order to prevent the formation of opposition party.
The government has also tightened online activities to silence netizens. A number of bloggers have been imprisoned in the past few years.