Quê Me Quê Me: Action for democracy in Vietnam & Vietnam Committee on Human Rights
Agence France Presse
HANOI, Aug 29, 2006 (AFP) – Human rights and press freedom watchdogs welcomed Tuesday the release of Vietnamese dissident Pham Hong Son, but asked the communist government to free other political and religious activists.
Vietnam’s ministry of public security said Monday that Son, a businessman and trained doctor, was to be released this week as part of a presidential amnesty.
Other “prisoners of conscience” including Ma Van Bay, a leader of the H’mong Protestant community, and Y’ Oal Nie, a Montagnard from the Ede ethnic minority, were included in the amnesty.
Vo Van Ai, President of the Paris-based Vietnam Committee on Human Rights, welcomed their release, especially that of Son “whose health deteriorated seriously from lack of medical treatment and harsh conditions in prison”.
However he said in a statement : “This piecemeal amnesty is merely a propaganda exercise.”
“In reality, Vietnam is increasing controls and legislation against dissidents every day, and hundreds of political and religious prisoners still languish in Vietnam’s prisons and camps.”
Son was arrested in 2002 and sentenced on appeal to a five-year term for spying after translating and publishing online an article entitled “What is democracy ?” off the US State Department’s website.
His family confirmed his release. The 37-year-old will however immediately start a three-year period of house probation.
“We’re relieved by word that Pham Hong Son will be released from prison, but we call on the government to grant him complete freedom without condition,” said Joel Simon, executive director of the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
“We also call for the immediate release of Son’s fellow Internet writer, Nguyen Vu Binh, who remains unjustly jailed,” he added.
Prominent dissident Nguyen Vu Binh, who is serving a seven-year term for criticizing a controversial China-Vietnam border agreement, was not reported to be on the presidential amnesty list.
According to state media, the amnesty marking the September 2 national day related to 5, 352 convicts, including 5, 313 prisoners among whom six foreigners.
The complete list has not been published.
dla/bgs
