A court official in Hanoi announced that Redemptorists would not be allowed to attend the trial of their eight parishioners, while another government official in Saigon summoned their confreres in the city for organizing prayer vigil for the on trial Catholics.
It was shocking news for Redemptorists in Hanoi to receive a communiqué from Hanoi People’s Court telling them that they were denied permission to attend the trial of their parishioners. The trial supposed to be held on Friday Dec. 5 was re-scheduled for Monday Dec. 8. “All tickets had been dispensed,” wrote Judge Tran Hong Nhan in a letter signed on Thursday to Hanoi Redemptorists. “The court-room is so small to meet your request,” he continued.
Under Vietnamese law trials are public unless the dignity of the plaintiff is at stake, which is not the case.
According to the lawyer for the defendants, Le Tran Luat, the accused have been verbally informed that anyone who wants to attend the trial must submit a written request. This is a patent violation of the principle of open trial and reflects a desire to limit the number of those present. The need to present a written request means that the authorities will be able to know who wants to attend, which is a clear attempt at intimidation.
“It’s really an arrogant action from Vietnam government,” said Fr. Joseph Nguyen from Hanoi. “Knowing that the trial is just a political show, Redemptorist community still wanted to be there to support their parishioners in their difficult time. They applied for the tickets very early. But authorities apparently want no one to attend the trial. It’s a disgraceful injustice,” he cried out.
In another development, People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh city, issued a summon order to the Superior of the city’s Redemptorist Monastery, Fr. Nguyen Quang Duy, after the monastery organized a Candlelight vigil to pray for the eight Catholics on trial in Hanoi.
The prayer vigil saw 5,000 Catholics come together on last Sunday night in Ho Chi Minh City to demonstrate their solidarity with the parishioners of Thai Ha who will be tried on December 8 for asking for the restitution of the land belonging to their church.
It was shocking news for Redemptorists in Hanoi to receive a communiqué from Hanoi People’s Court telling them that they were denied permission to attend the trial of their parishioners. The trial supposed to be held on Friday Dec. 5 was re-scheduled for Monday Dec. 8. “All tickets had been dispensed,” wrote Judge Tran Hong Nhan in a letter signed on Thursday to Hanoi Redemptorists. “The court-room is so small to meet your request,” he continued.
Under Vietnamese law trials are public unless the dignity of the plaintiff is at stake, which is not the case.
According to the lawyer for the defendants, Le Tran Luat, the accused have been verbally informed that anyone who wants to attend the trial must submit a written request. This is a patent violation of the principle of open trial and reflects a desire to limit the number of those present. The need to present a written request means that the authorities will be able to know who wants to attend, which is a clear attempt at intimidation.
“It’s really an arrogant action from Vietnam government,” said Fr. Joseph Nguyen from Hanoi. “Knowing that the trial is just a political show, Redemptorist community still wanted to be there to support their parishioners in their difficult time. They applied for the tickets very early. But authorities apparently want no one to attend the trial. It’s a disgraceful injustice,” he cried out.
In another development, People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh city, issued a summon order to the Superior of the city’s Redemptorist Monastery, Fr. Nguyen Quang Duy, after the monastery organized a Candlelight vigil to pray for the eight Catholics on trial in Hanoi.
The prayer vigil saw 5,000 Catholics come together on last Sunday night in Ho Chi Minh City to demonstrate their solidarity with the parishioners of Thai Ha who will be tried on December 8 for asking for the restitution of the land belonging to their church.