Another blogger jailed for denouncing human rights violations

Truong Duy Nhat has been detained sincehis arrest on May 26, 2013. Police arrested him for publishing online articlescritical of the Government on his blog A Different Point of View Truong Duy Nhat is a former journalist with State-runnewspapers “BaoCong An Quang Nam Danang” (Quang Nam Danang Security Police newspaper) and “Dai Doan Ket”(Great Solidarity newspaper). In 2011, he quit his work as areporter to write for his blog, which became widely known for its criticism ofthe government[1].In his blog, Truong Duy Nhat frequently critiqued theperformance of top government officials, including the Prime Minister, from thepoint of view of the rights enshrined in Vietnam’s legislation and theinternational covenants Vietnam has signed.

Scores of human rights defenders andcyber-dissidents are currently serving long prison sentences or awaiting trialin Vietnam[2].Another blogger, Pham Viet Dao, arrested in the first semester of 2013, faces a prison sentence of up to seven years alsofor “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State”. His blog aims at informing people about humanrights and advocating ways to promote and protect them.

Ourorganisations urge Vietnam to immediately repeal draconian laws that severely restrictfreedom of opinion and expression. The Government’s claim that it respects andprotects human rights will continue to ring hollow unless Vietnam upholds itsobligations under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil andPolitical Rights (ICCPR).

Ourorganisations reiterate their call on the Vietnamese authorities to ensure in all circumstances that human rights defenders are ableto carry out their legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear ofreprisals, in line withthe United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

For more information, pleasecontact:

• VCHR: Penelope Faulkner (Vietnamese/French/English) +33 1 45 98 30 85
• FIDH: Audrey Couprie, Arthur Manet: + 33 1 43 55 25 18
• OMCT: Delphine Reculeau: +41 22 809 49 39

[1] See Observatory-VCHR Joint PressRelease, issued on July 19, 2013.

[2] For more information, seeFIDH-VCHR joint report, Bloggers and Netizens Behind Bars: Restrictions onInternet Freedom in Vietnam, February 2013, and previous Urgent Interventionsby the Observatory on Vietnam.