Vietnamese dissident sentenced to 12 years in prison for 'subversion'
Tran Duc Thach, founder of the “online Brotherhood for Democracy” movement, was arrested on April 23 and charged with activities aimed at “overthrowing the government”. The lawyer denounces violations of the right to defense. At least 25 bloggers and dissidents locked up in prisons where mistreatment is "common practice".
Hanoi (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A court in the central Vietnamese province of Nghe An has sentenced a dissident poet and blogger to 12 years in prison, on charges of "subversion". Tran Duc Thach, founder of the online movement "Brotherhood for Democracy," was arrested on 23 April and charged with "activities aimed at overthrowing the people's government" under Article 109 of the Criminal Code.
Evidence used by the magistrates included several posts published on Facebook in which corruption and violation of human rights by government and party leaders in Hanoi are denounced. The group founded by the activist and dissident is not recognized by the executive and many of its members have been jailed since its foundation in 2013.
According to reports from Radio Free Asia (RFA), Tran will have to serve another three years of probation at the end of his sentence of 12 years in prison. An unfair sentence, according to activist lawyer Ha Huy Son who denounces limitations on defense activities during the hearing in the courtroom. “In my opinion, the prosecution of this case was aimed only at preventing political pluralism and multiparty ideologies [in Vietnam], because Tran’s behavior was not dangerous and did not contradict the Constitution,” his lawyer said. “Tran Duc Thach admitted to the activities that were described in the indictment, but said they were not done with the aim of overthrowing the government. Rather, he had only wanted to help build a better society according to his own understanding,” he said.
Born in 1952 in Nghe An, Tran served with the Northern forces during the Vietnam War and was a human rights and democracy activist for many years thereafter. He had already received in October 2009 a three-year prison sentence for "propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" together with dissident colleagues Vu Van Hung and Pham Van Troi.
US-based activist group Freedom House considers Vietnam - a nation of 92 million people - as "not free" for internet use and press freedom. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked the country 175th out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index 2020. To date, adds RSF, about 25 journalists and bloggers are detained in prisons where "mistreatment is common practice".
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25/06/2020 13:22
