The Vietnamese government is going to try another Catholic human rights defender on June, 14.
Professor Peter Pham Minh Hoang who has been arbitrarily detained since Aug. 13, 2010 will be tried on June, 14
At the time of his arrest, Professor Hoang was a faculty member at the Ho Chi Minh City Polytechnic Institute, and, according to a statement released by his wife following his arrest, he was concerned with social injustice and corruption.
On 13 August 2010 the professor was arbitrarily detained under Article 79 of the Vietnamese Penal Code (VPC) on charges of participating in a banned political group. Before making the arrest, authorities had reportedly threatened the human rights defender with jail time if he did not admit he is a member of the pro-democracy group called Viet Tan (New Vietnam).
Article 79 of the VPC bans any activities aimed at overthrowing the Government. Professor Pham Minh Hoang's current detention location is unknown.
Prior to his arrest, Professor Hoang had been known for his dedication to educating young students. He is said to be actively supporting protests against bauxite mining in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. He had also attended a conference that was held by the Archdiocese of Saigon which discussed the status of Vietnamese sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly archipelagos.
His wife has reported that the police are investigating leadership training courses that the professor had offered to some of his students.
Catholics believe that the arrest and detention of Professor Hoang, who is French citizen, are direct results of his involvement in the defence of human rights and the territorial integrity of the country, and see them fitting in as part of an ongoing pattern of harassment against human rights defenders in Vietnam. An international effort from many interest groups including the Committee of Concerned Scientists have protested Vietnam's unlawful detention of professor Hoang have been fruitless. Family members reported that his medical and mental health is deteriorating while in police's custody.
His family, friends and colleagues maintained his innocence on his behalf and retained council to defend him at the upcoming trial, knowing that his fate like many other pro-democracy advocates' would probably be decided even before the trial begins.
Professor Peter Pham Minh Hoang who has been arbitrarily detained since Aug. 13, 2010 will be tried on June, 14At the time of his arrest, Professor Hoang was a faculty member at the Ho Chi Minh City Polytechnic Institute, and, according to a statement released by his wife following his arrest, he was concerned with social injustice and corruption.
On 13 August 2010 the professor was arbitrarily detained under Article 79 of the Vietnamese Penal Code (VPC) on charges of participating in a banned political group. Before making the arrest, authorities had reportedly threatened the human rights defender with jail time if he did not admit he is a member of the pro-democracy group called Viet Tan (New Vietnam).
Article 79 of the VPC bans any activities aimed at overthrowing the Government. Professor Pham Minh Hoang's current detention location is unknown.
Prior to his arrest, Professor Hoang had been known for his dedication to educating young students. He is said to be actively supporting protests against bauxite mining in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. He had also attended a conference that was held by the Archdiocese of Saigon which discussed the status of Vietnamese sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly archipelagos.
His wife has reported that the police are investigating leadership training courses that the professor had offered to some of his students.
Catholics believe that the arrest and detention of Professor Hoang, who is French citizen, are direct results of his involvement in the defence of human rights and the territorial integrity of the country, and see them fitting in as part of an ongoing pattern of harassment against human rights defenders in Vietnam. An international effort from many interest groups including the Committee of Concerned Scientists have protested Vietnam's unlawful detention of professor Hoang have been fruitless. Family members reported that his medical and mental health is deteriorating while in police's custody.
His family, friends and colleagues maintained his innocence on his behalf and retained council to defend him at the upcoming trial, knowing that his fate like many other pro-democracy advocates' would probably be decided even before the trial begins.