Photo courtesy of Nguyen Trung Truc
Authorities in central Vietnam’s Quang Binh province arrested a member of an online democracy advocacy group on Friday, bringing to five the number of group members taken into custody during the last week.
Nguyen Trung Truc, a former political prisoner and member of the online Brotherhood for Democracy group, was taken from his home in handcuffs on charges of working to overthrow the government, Truc’s son told RFA’s Vietnamese Service following Tuc's arrest.
"At around 9:00 a.m., nearly 100 uniformed and plainclothes officers came to our house,” Truc’s son said.
“They pulled my father outside to take video and photos, and then they forced him to sign some documents. Then they searched our house and took our phones and papers,” he said.
“They spent three hours doing all of this, then they took him away at about 1:00 p.m. after reading a document accusing my father of having violated Article 79” [of Vietnam’s Penal Code, related to "activities aimed at overthrowing the people's administration."]
Speaking separately, another member of Quang Binh province’s Brotherhood for Democracy group confirmed that Truc had been arrested.
“This morning, about 100 people went to Nguyen Trung Truc’s house to arrest him under Article 79 and conducted a house search until about 12:30. Then they escorted him away,” the source said, speaking to RFA on condition of anonymity.
Others also held
On Sunday, police detained four other members of the group on charges of attempting to topple the country’s one-party state, drawing condemnation from their organization and Paris-based rights campaigners who demanded their unconditional release next day.
Taken into custody were Protestant pastor Nguyen Trung Ton, 45, engineer Pham Van Troi, 45, journalist Truong Minh Duc, 57, and lawyer Nguyen Bac Truyen, 49, according to a statement on the website of Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security.
The four men were charged under Article 79 and could face the death penalty if convicted.
Communist Vietnam, where all media are state-controlled, does not tolerate dissent, and rights groups identify Article 79 as among a set of vague provisions that authorities have used to detain dozens of writers and bloggers.
Reported by RFA’s Vietnamese Service. Translated by Emily Peyman. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Communists always behave in the most barbaric way and Vietnamese Commies are no exception. How long are you going on like this Uncle Ho followers ? Remember one thing there are only five communist countries in the world right now. Two are more inclined to collapse Cuba and then...you Vietnam. You can go on laughing while you can and the moment you can no more Vietnamese people will remind you the suffering you imposed on them.
[This comment has been edited by RFA Editorial staff per our Terms of Use]
Aug 08, 2017 09:32 AM
The VNmese communists learned their crude trades from Russia/China. Just as their predecessors, they forced the people to succumb and subjected to their brand of lies and unjust. They reigned by fears and intimidations. These cowards are; literally; living off the fat of the land and off the backs of the people.
Of course they are afraid of losing control. W/out the people, who would do the dirty work for them? They have millions $$$ in oversea accounts, properties, and businesses while the people are barely scraping for a meager living – barely break even after a long season of toiling and ulcerated anxieties.
Thus, it’s an incentive to keep the people down. Sadly, these uneducated goons don’t realize that the people can do so much more for them if they will 'work' with the people. Everyone will win-win then! But, this isn’t the communist ways or methods for they know that they don’t have the support of the people. After all, they taught everyone from the early age that the Party is glorious, and snitch on your parents, friends, and neighbors will be greatly rewarded. This is immoral and they know that. Hence, an immoral, unjust, atheist society drags on like a plague.
As I have done this gazillion times…VNCH isn’t dead as yet, our people will rise again, you communist goons will have your date in court…if you are lucky!
Aug 07, 2017 02:36 PM
Oh look, another day in Vietnam where even someone who supports democracy in secret through online is subject to arrest. Is the Vietnamese communist government afraid of social and political change or something? Let such vulnerable political system go. Colonial imperialism is already finished long ago and erasing communist expansion off of Southeast Asia should be the same.
Aug 04, 2017 05:18 PM
