At least 14 arrests in Viet Nam under the excuse of Olympic torch relay
1 May 2008, 01:11PM
Using the Olympic torch as an excuse to crack down on peaceful critics is yet another bitter twist in Viet Nam's pattern of repressing legitimate and peaceful dissent. Those arrested before and during the torch relay should be released immediately.
"Furthermore, the Vietnamese authorities must urgently investigate allegations of beatings against those detained, and ensure their safety and wellbeing."
As the Olympic Torch relay made its stop in Viet Nam's largest city, Ho Chi Minh City, on 29 April 2008, police arrested at least 12 demonstrators who had protested peacefully against Chinese policies. The majority of arrests took place in Hanoi, over 1,700 kilometres away from Ho Chi Minh City and the Olympic torch.
Amnesty International is deeply concerned at the ongoing campaign by the Vietnamese Government to silence dissenting voices. Lawyers, trade unionists, religious leaders and Internet dissidents with links to emerging pro-democracy groups have been targeted since this crackdown began in 2006.
Earlier in April, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung urged the authorities to make the Olympic torch relay a success and ensure it would not "be affected by evil forces' distorted information", according to state controlled media.
In the days leading up to the torch relay, at least three people were arrested, including Nguyen Hoang Hai, a journalist and blogger who had featured articles about protests against China's international policies. Most of those arrested on the day of the torch relay had voiced criticism against China about an ongoing territory dispute with Viet Nam over the Spratly and Paracel Islands, and about its policies in Tibet.
Background information:
According to reports received by Amnesty International, Nguyen Xuan Nghia and another arrested person, Vu Hung, a teacher, were beaten by police. Vu Hung is among four who have since been released.
It remains unclear whether charges have been brought against any of those who remain in detention, such as writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia and Vu Anh Son, who are reportedly held in Kien An district, Hai Phong province.
In breach of international human rights law the Vietnamese penal code criminalises peaceful dissent. Amnesty International has repeatedly called on the authorities to urgently reform provisions relating to national security and ensure they are either removed or brought into line with international law. The organisation reiterates its calls on the Vietnamese authorities to honour its international human rights obligations by releasing all prisoners of conscience.
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katie
5 May 2008, 07:57PM
thankyou very much
Clytie
3 May 2008, 05:53PM
It’s never helped. Making the Olympics a political arena has only ever brought pain and confusion. But many people do see these Olympics as an opportunity for change, because it involves so much attention from everyone, and especially because in order to get the Olympics, China promised to improve the way it behaves towards its citizens in several specific ways. China has not kept these promises. If you were living in China, we would not be allowed to talk about this. Your family could be taken away from you, just because you have a computer and you got online and talked about the Tibet-China situation. Not just taken away: you wouldn’t know where they were, and might never see them again. Life for kids is very different in China, and I think kids here would like to change that. Life for kids in Tibet is even worse, because the Chinese government does not respect minorities, and exploits them instead. Maybe the Olympics gives us a chance to change that. Maybe not. But we need to try.
katie
1 May 2008, 08:55PM
we’re learning about these issues with tibet and china at school. i know about it and understand it, but why are people boycotting the olympics? how will this help the tibet- china situation?
thanks.
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