{"id":37747,"date":"2017-06-01T10:00:46","date_gmt":"2017-06-01T10:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/queme.org\/?p=37747\/"},"modified":"2017-10-16T09:22:12","modified_gmt":"2017-10-16T09:22:12","slug":"viet-nam-must-immediately-release-pastor-nguyen-cong-chinh-end-harassment-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/viet-nam-must-immediately-release-pastor-nguyen-cong-chinh-end-harassment-family\/","title":{"rendered":"Viet Nam: Immediately release prisoner of conscience Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh and end harassment of his family"},"content":{"rendered":"

PARIS, 1st<\/sup> June 2017 (VCHR) \u2013 The Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR) supports the Joint Open Letter<\/a> signed by 50 organizations and individuals calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Pastor Nguy\u1ec5n C\u00f4ng Ch\u00ednh, a prisoner of conscience serving an 11-year prison term since 2011. The letter also calls for an end to the harassment of his family.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Open Letter<\/h2>\n

Vietnam must immediately release prisoner of conscience Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh and end harassment of his family<\/p>\n

May 23, 2017<\/p>\n

To: President Tran Dai Quang,
\nPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and
\nNational Assembly Chair Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan
\nof the Socialist Republic of Vietnam<\/p>\n

We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, call on the authorities of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to: release Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh unconditionally and immediately; carry out a prompt, impartial, independent and effective investigation into allegations of his mistreatment while in prison and allegations that his wife, Mrs. Tran Thi Hong, was tortured by the local authorities of Hoa Lu Ward, Pleiku City, Gia Lai Province, while in custody in 2016; bring any identified perpetrators to justice in fair trials; and provide reparations to Pastor Chinh and Mrs. Tran Thi Hong in accordance with Vietnam\u2019s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT).<\/p>\n

Lutheran Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh was sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment in 2012 after having been convicted of \u201cundermining national unity policy\u201d under Article 87 of Vietnam\u2019s Penal Code, \u201cby maintaining ties with the dissident groups and distributing material deemed to have slandered government authorities\u201d. He was arbitrarily detained and jailed solely for peacefully practicing his faith and exercising his human rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and freedom of expression. His non-violent activities in criticizing government policies cannot justify his imprisonment and the abusive treatment and denial of his rights by prison authorities. These include verbal and physical abuse from other prisoners in collusion with or without intervention of prison officials, denial of medical treatment, detention in solitary confinement for a prolonged period, and denial of the rights to practice his religion and to buy additional food from the canteen to supplement the poor prison diet. Cumulatively, his alleged treatment in prison would constitute torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment as prohibited under the ICCPR, the CAT and the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules).<\/p>\n

Additionally, Pastor Chinh\u2019s family members, including his wife Mrs. Hong Tran, have also been the alleged victims of harassment which may amount to torture or ill-treatment. On 14 April 2016 at the Hoa Lu Ward, Pleiku City, Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, Mrs. Hong alleges that several unidentified men \u2013 whom she believes were undercover public security agents – forced her into a vehicle and took her to the People\u2019s Committee Office where she says she was violently assaulted for more than three hours while being asked about her meeting with a US delegation on International Religious Freedom held on 30 March 2016. She also alleges she was the victim of several other violent incidents perpetrated by State authorities in May of the same year while being questioned about her activism.<\/p>\n

Under international treaties binding the state, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is prohibited in all circumstances and torture is a crime under international law. According to the most recent Constitution (2013), the state \u201cacknowledges, respects, protects and guarantees human rights<\/em>\u201d (1), guarantees that \u201cthe citizen shall enjoy the right to freedom of opinion and speech, freedom of the press, to access to information, to assembly, form associations and hold demonstrations<\/em>\u201d (2), whereas Article 24 guarantees \u201cfreedom of belief and religion<\/em>\u201d and the equality of all religions before the law.<\/p>\n

As government leaders of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, you are in the position to take steps to ensure that national laws and Constitutional provisions which comply with Vietnam\u2019s international obligations are properly enforced.<\/p>\n

We respectfully urge that your government immediately and unconditionally release Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh and fully restore his legal rights; carry out prompt, impartial, independent and effective investigations into the allegations of torture and other ill-treatment made by Pastor Chinh and his wife Mrs. Hong and bring any identified perpetrators to justice following fair trials and provide reparations to Pastor Chinh and Mrs. Tran Thi Hong in accordance with Vietnam\u2019s obligations under the ICCPR and CAT; respect international human rights laws and standards generally including the rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, speech, peaceful assembly and association in particular.<\/p>\n

The community of civil society organizations and human rights advocates in Southeast Asia and around the world continue to monitor closely the situation of Mrs. Tran Thi Hong and Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh, and we will continue to do so until he is released and the criminal conviction is expunged through appropriate legal processes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SIGNED:<\/em><\/strong>
\n1. Vietnamese Women for Human Rights (H\u1ed9i Ph\u1ee5 N\u1eef Nh\u00e2n Quy\u1ec1n Vi\u1ec7t Nam<\/em>) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n2. Amnesty International \u2013 UNITED KINGDOM
\n3. Anushani Alagarajah, Researcher and Activist \u2013 SRI LANKA
\n4. Aravinth. S, Activist \u2013 SRI LANKA
\n5. B\u00e0n Tr\u00f2n \u0110a T\u00f4n Gi\u00e1o Vi\u1ec7t Nam (Vietnam Multi-Faith Roundtable<\/em>) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n6. Bhawana Bhatta, Women Dialogue Forum \u2013 NEPAL
\n7. Boat People SOS \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n8. C. Nasser Ahmad \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n9. Campaign to Abolish Torture in Vietnam \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n10. Center for Inquiry \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n11. Chihiro Muranaka \u2013 JAPAN
\n12. Christian Solidarity Worldwide \u2013 UNITED KINGDOM
\n13. Church of Scientology National Affairs Office \u2013 WASHINGTON, DC
\n14. Civil Rights Defenders \u2013 SWEDEN
\n15. Coalition for a Free and Democratic Vietnam \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n16. Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n17. Con Dau Parishioners Association \u2013 VIET NAM
\n18. Dhruba Basu, Participatory Research in Asia \u2013 INDIA
\n19. Dr. Aurora Parong, Medical Action Group \u2013 PHILIPPINES
\n20. \u0110inh \u0110\u1ee9c Long, H\u1ed9i H\u1ed7 Tr\u1ee3 N\u1ea1n Nh\u00e2n B\u1ea1o H\u00e0nh Vi\u1ec7t Nam (Association for Support Victims of Torture<\/em>) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n21. Freedom House \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n22. Gerelee Odonchimed \u2013 MONGOLIA
\n23. Greg Mitchell, Co-Chair, International Religious Freedom Roundtable; President, The Mitchell Firm \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n24. H\u1ed9i C\u1ef1u T\u00f9 Nh\u00e2n Ch\u00ednh Tr\u1ecb v\u00e0 T\u00f4n Gi\u00e1o (Vietnamese Political & Religious Prisoners Friendship Association) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n25. H\u1ed9i Ph\u00e1t Huy T\u1ef1 Do T\u00f4n Gi\u00e1o hay Ni\u1ec1m Tin Vi\u1ec7t Nam (Association to Freedom of Religion or Belief in Vietnam<\/em>) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n26. H\u1ed9i Th\u00e1nh Tin L\u00e0nh \u0110\u1ea5ng Christ T\u00e2y Nguy\u00ean (Central High Montagnard Evangelical Church Of Christ<\/em>) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n27. International Commission of Jurists \u2013 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
\n28. International Institute for Religious Freedom \u2013 (BONN – BRASILIA – CAPE TOWN – COLOMBO)
\n29. Jinshiro Motoyama \u2013 JAPAN
\n30. Jubilee Campaign USA \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n31. Kh\u1ed1i Nh\u01a1n Sanh \u0110\u1ea1o Cao \u0110\u00e0i (Popular Council of Cao Dai Religion<\/em>) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n32. Lester Shum \u2013 HONG-KONG
\n33. Li\u00ean Minh Ch\u1ed1ng Tra T\u1ea5n (Vietnam \u2013 Coalition Against Torture <\/em>(VN-CAT)) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n34. Montagnard Human Rights Organization \u2013 NC, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n35. Mory Sar, Cambodia Youth Network \u2013 CAMBODIA
\n36. Nguy\u1ec5n \u0110an Qu\u1ebf, H\u1ed9i C\u1ef1u T\u00f9 Nh\u00e2n L\u01b0\u01a1ng T\u00e2m (Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience<\/em>) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n37. Nh\u00f3m Linh M\u1ee5c Nguy\u1ec5n Kim \u0110i\u1ec1n (The Nguyen Kim Dien Priests Group – Linh M\u1ee5c Phan V\u0103n L\u1ee3i) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n38. Nh\u00f3m Ng\u01b0\u1eddi B\u1ea3o V\u1ec7 Nh\u00e2n quy\u1ec1n (Defend the Defenders<\/em>) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n39. Norwegian Helsinki Committee \u2013 NORWAY
\n40. Qu\u00ea Me: Vietnam Committee on Human Rights \u2013 FRANCE
\n41. Qu\u1ef9 T\u00f9 Nh\u00e2n L\u01b0\u01a1ng T\u00e2m \u00dac Ch\u00e2u (Prisoners Of Conscience Fund<\/em>) \u2013 AUSTRALIA
\n42. Religious Freedom Institute \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n43. Shreen Abdul Saroor, Activist \u2013 SRI LANKA
\n44. Shui Meng Ng, Sombath Initiative \u2013 LAOS
\n45. Tanathorn Tananont, Human Rights Lawyer \u2013 THAILAND
\n46. The Russian Orthodox Church of America \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n47. Vi\u1ec7t Th\u1ee9c Foundation \u2013 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
\n48. Vietnamese Unified Buddhist Sangha \u2013 VIET NAM
\n49. V\u0169 Qu\u1ed1c Ng\u1eef & Hu\u1ef3nh Th\u1ee5c Vy, M\u1ea1ng L\u01b0\u1edbi C\u00e1c T\u1ed5 Ch\u1ee9c X\u00e3 H\u1ed9i D\u00e2n S\u1ef1 \u0110\u1ed9c L\u1eadp Vi\u1ec7t Nam \u2013 (Vietnamese Independent Civil Society Network <\/em>(VICSON)) \u2013 VIET NAM
\n50. William Nicholas Gomes, Human Rights Defender and Freelance Journalist \u2013 UNITED KINGDOM<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

———————————————
\n(1) Article 3 of the 2013 Constitution.
\n(2) Article 25 of the 2013 Constitution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PARIS, 1st June 2017 (VCHR) \u2013 The Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR) supports the Joint Open Letter signed by 50 organizations and individuals calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Pastor Nguy\u1ec5n C\u00f4ng Ch\u00ednh, a prisoner of conscience serving an 11-year prison term since 2011. The letter also calls for an end to …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":434,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[137,113,125,98,65,64],"tags":[439],"class_list":["post-37747","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","","category-latest-posts","category-news","category-others","category-press-release","category-resources","category-vchr","tag-nguyen-cong-chinh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37747","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/434"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37747"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37747\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37747"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37747"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/queme.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37747"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}