The United Nations
Human Rights Office for South-East Asia (OHCHR) is seriously concerned by the
arrest of well-known Vietnamese human rights defender Mr. Nguyen Van Dai, and
calls for his immediate release.
Dai,
a prominent lawyer and founder of the Committee for Human Rights in Viet Nam,
was arrested at his home on 16 December and charged with anti-state
“propaganda” (under article 88 of the Penal Code), an offence that carries a
jail term of between 3 to 12 years. Police also confiscated his computer and
cellphone.
Dai's
arrest comes 10 days after he and three other human rights defenders were
beaten following a training forum in Nam Dan District, Nghe An Province. OHCHR
is aware of at least two other similar cases since September, and we are
concerned about what seems to be an emerging and disturbing pattern of violent
attacks against human rights defenders.
OHCHR
is concerned that Dai’s arrest and detention is due to his peaceful and
legitimate human rights work in Viet Nam.
Dai
was arrested in 2007 on the same charge.
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OHCHR alarmed by attacks on Vietnam human rights defenders
UN Human Rights - South-East Asia
UN Human Rights - South-East Asia
We
are alarmed at the recent spate of violent attacks on human rights defenders in
Viet Nam and are concerned by the apparent failure of the authorities to
investigate and prosecute the perpetrators.
Speaking at a news briefing in Geneva, our spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said that last Sunday (6 December) Mr. Nguyen Van Dai, a prominent lawyer, and three other human rights defenders were attacked after conducting a training forum in Nam Dan District, Nghe An Province. It was the third such incident since September.
Police attempted to halt the forum for human rights defenders, but the 60 participants refused to leave. Police then stayed on to monitor the session. After the course ended, the four activists were beaten by a group of about 20 men armed with sticks.
Speaking at a news briefing in Geneva, our spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said that last Sunday (6 December) Mr. Nguyen Van Dai, a prominent lawyer, and three other human rights defenders were attacked after conducting a training forum in Nam Dan District, Nghe An Province. It was the third such incident since September.
Police attempted to halt the forum for human rights defenders, but the 60 participants refused to leave. Police then stayed on to monitor the session. After the course ended, the four activists were beaten by a group of about 20 men armed with sticks.
In the two other recent cases, in November and September, human rights lawyers and activists
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