Nguyen Huu Vinh in 2007 co-founded the popular blog Anh Ba Sam, who is known for his anti-Chinese articles and criticism of the government. He and his assistant, Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, were arrested in May 2014 pursuant to Article 258 (2) of the Criminal Code for „abusing democratic freedoms.“ This could mean up to seven years in prison.Allegations were raised in February 2015 The indictment was issued in February 2015 setting out charges in connection with two other political blogs Dan Quyen (civil rights) and Chep Su Viet (Vietnamese history writing), both of which are critical of government policies and officials and are banned by authorities. The indictment states that these two blogs had more than 3.7 million readers.
According to the Act, suspects accused under Article 258 (2) can be initially held in preliminary detention for up to 6 months and following the indictment, held in temporary detention for a maximum of 90 days for trial preparation. In this case, after 17 months of detention, Nguyen Huu Vinh has not yet been given a date for the trial.
Nguyen Huu Vinha’s family asked the authorities to release the two men, but did not get any response. In October, Nguyen Huu Vinha told his family and lawyer that he was suffering from a skin condition with a red rash covering his body, and he has not received adequate medical treatment.
Nguyen Huu Vinh is a former policeman and son of a former senior government official and a leading member of the Communist Party of Vietnam, who was ambassador in the former USSR. He is married and has two children. We know little about his assistant, Nguyen Minh Thuy. The indictment however, describes him as a divorced man with two children. Nguyen Huu Vinh and Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy are prisoners of conscience detained solely for exercising of their right to freedom of expression.
Celé znění on-line petice, kterou posíláme adresátům.
Demand the authorities release Nguyen Huu Vinh and Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy immediately and unconditionally as they are prisoners of conscience detained solely for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression.
Urging the authorities to ensure that both detainees have immediate access to appropriate medical care and that they are treated in accordance with the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.
Vážený pane ministře,
Chtěl/a bych vyjádřit své znepokojení nad zadržením Nguyen Huu Vinha a Nguyen Thi Minh Thuye. Oba muži jsou drženi již 17 měsíců a to pouze z důvodu poklidného vyjadřování svého nesouhlasu s politickou situací ve Vietnamu, tedy za využívání svého práva na svobodu projevu. Nguyen Huu Vinh navíc potřebuje zdravotní ošetření.
Rád/a bych Vás požádal/a o propuštění obou vězňů, jelikož k jejich zadržení neexistuje žádný skutečný důvod a oba jsou drženi jako vězni svědomí.
Dále bych Vás ráda požádal/a, aby do doby propuštění bylo s oběma vězni zacházeno alespoň podle minimálních standardů OSN pro zacházení s vězni, a aby jim byla poskytnuta adekvátní lékařská péče.
S úctou,
