Vietnam authorities detest Pham Doan Trang’s Courage award calling out the US for its lack of objectivity and inconsideration of the relationships between the two countries.
In a report from Human Rights Watch (HRW), Vietnam has imprisoned 146 human rights activists. The US State Department released a report last year stating Vietnam has “major human rights problems.”
- Title: Việt Nam: Mỹ trao giải thưởng cho Phạm Đoan Trang là ‘thiếu khách quan’
- Publish Date: March 17, 2022
- Publisher: VOA Tiếng Việt
Excerpt:
Note: Original texts in Vietnamese.
Responding to the event that the US awarded the “International Women of Courage” (IWOC) award to journalist Pham Doan Trang, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam said that the US action was unobjective and not beneficial to the public’s interests. development of relations between the two countries.
Earlier, on March 14, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted the awarding ceremony of the “International Women of Courage” award to independent journalist Pham Doan Trang in Vietnam and 11 other women around the world. The award aims to demonstrate their exceptional courage, strength and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights… despite the danger of their lives.
In a video posted on the website of the US Embassy in Hanoi on the day of the award ceremony, US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper described Pham Doan Trang as someone who “fearlessly pursues a global society”, greater representation and space for freedom of expression in Vietnam”.
“We applaud you, Pham Doan Trang, for your work as a human rights activist. Your bravery continues to inspire people in Vietnam and around the world,” said the US diplomat, after he affirmed that “the United States values our comprehensive partnership with Vietnam.” We work to help promote a strong, prosperous and independent Vietnam.”
Journalist Pham Doan Trang is currently serving a 9-year prison sentence for “conducting propaganda against the state”, related to her articles and peacefully expressing opinions, the US State Department announced on 8 /3 said. She was arrested on October 6, 2020 and sentenced on December 14 last year.
Pham Doan Trang is the third woman in Vietnam to be awarded the International Women of Courage Award by the United States. Before that, blogger Mother Mushroom (Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh) was awarded this award in 2017, and Blogger Ta Phong Tan was awarded in 2013. All three were sentenced to many years in prison by the Vietnamese government for the charge of “Propaganda” against the State”, according to Article 88 of the 1999 Penal Code.
According to the International Human Rights Watch (HRW), as of December 2021, at least 146 people have been jailed by Vietnam for exercising their basic rights, including bloggers and bloggers. Famous human rights activists such as Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy, mother and daughter Can Thi Theu, Truong Minh Duc, Pham Van Troi…
The US State Department’s human rights report released last year also said that Vietnam has “major human rights problems”, including: the illegal or arbitrary deprivation of life by the government; torture by government employees; Arbitrary arrest and detention of people by the authorities; political prisoners; or major issues of judicial independence; arbitrary or unlawful interference with private life; severely restrict freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and freedom of the Internet, including arbitrary arrest and prosecution of government critics, censorship, closure of websites, legislation on defamation criminal nature; substantially interfere with the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
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