Tag: BBC News Tieng Viet

Pham Doan Trang in BBC News Tiếng Việt: Phán quyết từ LHQ nói VN ‘bắt giữ tùy tiện’ nhà hoạt động Phạm Đoan Trang
The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) has just released its verdict on the case of journalist Pham Doan Trang and says that Vietnam ‘arbitrarily detained’ activist Pham Doan Trang.
- Title: Phán quyết từ LHQ nói VN ‘bắt giữ tùy tiện’ nhà hoạt động Phạm Đoan Trang
- Publish Date: October 29, 2021
- Publisher: BBC News Tiếng Việt
Excerpt:

International human rights lawyer Kurtuluş Baştima, who filed Pham Doan Trang’s case with the UN, told BBC News Vietnamese that he received the UN’s ruling on October 25.

Accordingly, the judgment said that Pham Doan Trang was arrested and detained without an arrest warrant, nor was she informed of the reason for her arrest. Since being arrested until now, Ms. Trang has not been able to see her relatives, and her meeting with a lawyer has been delayed for a long time. As a result, Ms. Trang’s rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) have been violated.

The working group concluded that the Vietnamese government had “arbitrarily detained journalist Pham Doan Trang for the past 11 months”, and that she should be released immediately.

“The current case is one of many submitted to UNWGAD in recent years related to arbitrary arrests in Vietnam. These cases follow a similar pattern of arrests that do not comply with the regulations. international norms; prolonged detention pending trial without access to indictment files, access to lawyers, prosecution under dubious criminal offenses…; no access to the outside world.”

“This pattern points to a systemic problem with arbitrary detention in Vietnam that, if continued, could seriously violate international law,” the UNWGAD report reads.

In the 17-page ruling, UNWGAD also laid out further measures to monitor Vietnam’s compliance, asking the Vietnamese government, within six months, to provide information including:

Has Pham Doan Trang been released yet? If so, what time?

Have the terms of compensation been fulfilled?

Has an investigation been conducted for the violation of Pham Doan Trang’s rights? How’s the result?

Have there been any legal amendments, namely Article 117 of the old Penal Code and Article 88 of the new Penal Code to be consistent with international obligations?

Has any other action been taken under this judgment?

Perspectives from international human rights lawyers

“This is a very important ruling,” Mr Kurtuluş Baştima told the BBC. He analyzed:

“Pham Doan Trang could not object to her detention, so her right to apply remedial measures under Article 2(3) ICCPR was violated.”

“In addition, UNWGAD ruled that Article 117 of the old Penal Code or Article 88 (Amendment of the Penal Code) were too vague and broad to be used as a legal basis to invoke arrest and detention. Pham Doan Trang.”

In addition, the right to freedom of speech, the right to association and the right to express opinions are also violated by the Vietnamese state, because all activities of Ms. Trang as an author, blogger and journalist are prevented. .”

“Ultimately, the delay in allowing Ms. Trang to see a lawyer caused her right to a fair trial to be violated under Article 14 of the ICCPR. Ms. Trang’s detention was due to her participation in anti-corruption and civil rights reporting. owner is a violation of his right to engage in public affairs, in particular Article 25(a) of the ICCPR.”

“This is a decision made by UNWGAD based on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This convention places an obligation on the state to respect those decisions. Ms. Trang’s lawyer in Vietnam Nam should use this decision of the UN in the upcoming trial,” said Mr. Kurtuluş Baştima.

However, Mr. Kurtuluş Baştima said that the UN’s ruling is not legally binding, so UNWGAD cannot impose penalties if the Vietnamese government does not implement the proposals made by the UN.

However, this does not mean that the Vietnamese government will be ignored this decision. Because if not, the Vietnamese government will be held responsible for violating international law and UNWGAD will refer the situation to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Immediately following the UN ruling, a joint statement on Tuesday from 28 national and international civil society organizations called on the Vietnamese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Pham Doan Trang.

The suppression of Doan Trang and other human rights defenders, including independent writers and journalists, is part of an increasingly worse attack on freedom of expression and information in Vietnam. South,” the joint statement read.

The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention – UNWGAD – was established on the basis of Resolution 1991/42 of the United Nations Human Rights Commission and has the task of investigating arrests, detentions and imprisonments made by member states, whether it is in accordance with the UN Charter of Human Rights.

They have the right to request that governments and states submit periodic reports or on specific cases related to acts, decisions or trials that deprive citizens of their freedoms in the Member State.

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Phan quyet tu LHQ noi VN bat giu tuy tien nha hoat ong Pham oan Trang BBC News Tieng Viet

Phán quyết từ LHQ nói VN ‘bắt giữ tùy tiện’ nhà hoạt động Phạm Đoan Trang – BBC News Tiếng Việt.pdf

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Judgment from UN says Vietnam arbitrarily detained activist Pham Doan Trang BBC News Vietnamese

Judgment from UN says Vietnam ‘arbitrarily detained’ activist Pham Doan Trang – BBC News Vietnamese.pdf

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May 30, 2022
Pham Doan Trang in BBC News Tiếng Việt: Phạm Đoan Trang nhận giải thưởng của Anh và Canada dù bị VN cầm tù
Pham Doan Trang received British and Canadian awards despite being imprisoned by Vietnam.
- Title: Phạm Đoan Trang nhận giải thưởng của Anh và Canada dù bị VN cầm tù
- Publish Date: February 11, 2022
- Publisher: BBC News Tiếng Việt
Excerpt:

Note: Original texts in Vietnamese.

Canada and the UK awarded the Media Freedom 2022 of the two countries to Vietnamese journalist currently in prison, Ms. Pham Doan Trang.

The announcement was made by Canadian Minister Melanie Joly and British Secretary of State Lord Ahmad, who is also the representative of the British Prime Minister, at the Press Freedom Conference in Tallinn, Estonia on the afternoon of February 10, 2022. British Foreign Office.

The British Minister in charge of South Asia and the Commonwealth, and the British Prime Minister’s special envoy, named Ms. Pham Doan Trang:

“Democracy is under attack around the world, and journalists who shine in those dark corners are paying a heavy price.

The truth is always worth pursuing and that is why the UK and Canada established the Media Freedom Awards. This award recognizes journalists, individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to promote and protect media freedom.

I’m pleased to announce that this year’s Media Freedom Award winner is Pham Doan Trang. I congratulate Pham Doan Trang as an award-winning independent journalist and Vietnamese human rights defender.”

The British Foreign Office website wrote: “Mrs. Trang is known for her books on democracy and articles written on civil society and dissidents in Vietnam. As a rights advocate. people and the rule of law, Ms. Trang has written about important environmental issues. Reporters Without Borders awarded Ms. Trang the 2019 Press Freedom Prize in recognition of this merit.”

In December 2021, Ms. Trang was sentenced to 9 years in prison for “Propaganda against the State”. She spent 434 days in prison before being sentenced.

Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada said:

“Journalists play an essential role in any democracy by illuminating important issues of our time. On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to thank you for your courage. and Ms. Trang’s determination to hold those in power accountable. Canada will continue to fight for media freedom around the world.”

Previously, on January 19, 2022, in Geneva, Switzerland, the organizers of the Martin Ennals human rights award also named Ms. Pham Doan Trang, as one of the three winners of the 2022 Martin Ennals Prize, also known as “” Nobel Prize for Human Rights”. The organizers describe Ms. Trang as “a leading journalist, editor and democracy activist in Vietnam, where the Communist Party leaves little room for opposition voices to flourish”. .

Ms. Trang received the Homo Homini Award 2018 from the Czech-based human rights organization People In Need.

She also received Reporters Without Borders’ 2019 Press Freedom Award in the “Influence” category.

Who is Pham Doan Trang ?

Journalist Doan Trang, 43 years old this year, residing in Cat Linh ward, Dong Da district, Hanoi; graduated from Hanoi-Amsterdam School and Hanoi Foreign Trade University and worked as a reporter for Vnexpress Electronic Newspaper, an employee of HAKI Advertising Company, VTC Digital Television Company, a contributor to Vietnamnet Newspaper and a Newspaper Reporter. Law of Ho Chi Minh City.

After a period of writing newspapers, Ms. Trang gradually became a famous dissident blogger. She wrote many famous books such as Popular Politics, Prison Farming Manual, Non-Violent Resistance.

Trang is also the co-founder of the blog Luat Khoa Magazine, which provides information on legal issues to help Vietnamese people protect their rights.

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Pham oan Trang nhan giai thuong cua Anh va Canada du bi VN cam tu BBC News Tieng Viet

Phạm Đoan Trang nhận giải thưởng của Anh và Canada dù bị VN cầm tù – BBC News Tiếng Việt.pdf

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Pham Doan Trang received British and Canadian awards despite being imprisoned by Vietnam BBC News Vietnamese

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February 11, 2022
Pham Doan Trang in BBC News Tiếng Việt: Giải thưởng Martin Ennals 2022 được tặng cho bà Phạm Đoan Trang
BBC News Tiếng Việt reveals the announcement of acclaimed journalist and human rights activist Pham Doan Trang as on of the 2022 Laureates of the Martin Ennals Awards, also known as the Noble Prize for Human Rights.
- Title: Giải thưởng Martin Ennals 2022 được tặng cho bà Phạm Đoan Trang
- Publish Date: January 19, 2022
- Publisher: BBC News Tiếng Việt
Excerpt:

Note: Original texts in Vietnamese.

Pham Doan Trang, sentenced to nine years in prison by Vietnam in December, has just been awarded a human rights award by an organization in Geneva.

The 2022 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders was presented to Ms. Doan Trang, Daouda Diallo of Burkina Faso and Abdul-Hadi Al-Khawaja of Bahrain.

The January 19 announcement said Pham Doan Trang was “a leading journalist, editor and democracy activist in Vietnam, where the Communist Party leaves little room for opposition voices.” develop”.

‘Independent media’

“She has run many independent media outlets to raise awareness among Vietnamese about their basic rights, and inspired many other journalists and activists to speak out.”

“She is one of the most sought-after activists by the government in Vietnam. In October 2020, she was arrested. On December 14, 2021, Pham Doan Trang was sentenced to nine years in prison for “declaring a statement.” anti-state propaganda.” More and more voices are concerned about her health condition.

The organizers say their award is given to Human Rights Defenders in urgent need of protection, such as those in prison or threatened with imprisonment.

Each of these winners will be awarded a prize money of 20,000-30,000 Swiss francs.

The organizers say the importance of this award is not only financial, but can contribute to their protection through the support of famous figures in the world.

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Giai thuong Martin Ennals 2022 uoc tang cho ba Pham oan Trang BBC News Tieng Viet

Giải thưởng Martin Ennals 2022 được tặng cho bà Phạm Đoan Trang – BBC News Tiếng Việt.pdf

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The 2022 Martin Ennals Award is presented to Ms Pham Doan Trang BBC News Vietnamese

The 2022 Martin Ennals Award is presented to Ms. Pham Doan Trang – BBC News Vietnamese.pdf

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January 19, 2022
LIV’s Trinh Huu Long and Pham Doan Trang in BBC News Tiếng Việt: Vụ án Phạm Đoan Trang: Cáo trạng cho biết những gì?
Legal Initiative for VIETNAM co-director Trinh Huu Long assesses the possibility of a light sentence for colleague Pham Doan Trang who was arrested for “spreading anti-state propaganda.”
- Title: Vụ án Phạm Đoan Trang: Cáo trạng cho biết những gì?
- Publish Date: October 19, 2021
- Publisher: BBC News Tiếng Việt
Excerpt:

Note: Original texts in Vietnamese.

Commenting on the indictment, Trinh Huu Long, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Law Khoa Magazine, told the BBC that it was likely that Pham Doan Trang would receive a light sentence.

According to Mr. Long, the indictment “provides a lot of previously unknown information about the case”.

‘Likely to receive a light sentence’

According to Trinh Huu Long, the indictment states that Doan Trang committed crimes continuously, lasting from 2017 to 2019, meaning that both the old Penal Code and the new Penal Code (effective from January 1, 2018) are may apply at the same time to this case.

However, the indictment said that because Ms. Trang did not confess to the crime, moreover the old Penal Code was in favor of Ms. Trang because it stipulates the starting level of the penalty frame is lower than the new Penal Code (3 years). in the old law instead of 5 years in the new law), the investigating agency changed its decision to prosecute a criminal case, dropping the prosecution under Article 117 of the new law and only prosecuting it under Article 88 of the old law.

The indictment only prosecutes Ms. Trang in Clause 1, Article 88 instead of in Clause 2. Clause 1 has a much lighter penalty frame, ranging from 3-12 years. Clause 2, the sentence is much heavier, from 10-20 years.

“Many people used to worry that Pham Doan Trang is an effective activist, believed to be the top in Vietnam, then she will be accused in the heaviest bracket, possibly from 16-20 years in prison like Mr. Tran Huynh. Duy Thuc.

“However, based on the indictment, Ms. Trang is likely to receive a lighter sentence, maybe 3-5 years,” Mr. Long said.

The ‘political logic’ of the case

Also according to Mr. Trinh Huu Long, Article 88 of the Criminal Code (old) stipulates the crime of propaganda against the state, whose illogical and unreasonable points have been analyzed by many lawyers.

“The law itself is often used to silence those who are believed to be critical of leaders or individuals in the government. The charges brought so far based on this law are only to protect the state and It is an act that directly puts the government above the law, and gives government officials more protection than the average citizen, which goes against the principle of the rule of law – all citizens are equal. equality before the law,” Mr Long told the BBC.

Mr. Long said that it is absurd to make an indictment based on an ‘absurd’ law, but the indictment itself also has many illogical points, especially the reason why the investigating agency chooses this fact. 88 instead of 117 is not really clear.

“But I think this is a political case, so the logic we’re talking about here is political logic.

“The political logic here is” Maybe the government wants to treat Pham Doan Trang lightly, instead of being harsh as originally intended. And they’re trying to make an indictment that looks reasonable,” Mr Long said.

With the changes in this indictment, Mr. Long commented that the ‘trend’ of the trial will be ‘mildly’.

Regarding the trial on November 4, Mr. Long said that it would be no different from previous political trials.

“It will not be open to the public, not even family members. The international press can attend, but the independent press will not. The public will definitely not have access. And the trial will be over within a day. “.

“Article 88 itself is an absurd law, so whether it is heavy or light to sentence Doan Trang, it will be unfair to Doan Trang. The only right thing is to immediately and unconditionally release Doan Trang, co. time to compensate for the damage she has suffered during the past year of detention,” Mr. Trinh Huu Long told the BBC.

What does the indictment say?

According to the indictment, from November 16, 2017 to December 5, 2018, Ms. Doan Trang had the act of creating, storing and circulating documents and articles with content aimed at sabotaging the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Vietnamese Socialists.

Some notable points in the indictment:
- Doan Trang did not provide the computer password to the police, so the police could not extract data from here.
- Doan Trang did not declare that the Facebook account “Pham Doan Trang” was hers, so the investigative agency did not handle the speech acts on this Facebook account.
- Doan Trang confessed to being the author of the document “Report – research: Evaluation of the law on belief and religion 2016 and the situation of exercising the right to freedom of religion and belief” (both Vietnamese and English versions), published in Law Faculty magazine.
- On February 19, 2021, the Information Security Administration (Ministry of Information and Communications) sent a dispatch to the investigating agency stating that “the owner of the domain name cannot be identified, so there is no basis for verification of the domain name.” object to establish and maintain the operation of the website http://luatkhoa.org for handling in accordance with the law”.
- Circumstances aggravating criminal liability: Committing the crime more than once.
- Extenuating circumstances of criminal liability: No.
- According to the indictment, Doan Trang committed consecutive crimes, lasting from 2017 to 2019, meaning that both the old Penal Code and the new Penal Code (effective from January 1, 2018) can be applied at the same time. time for this case.
- However, the indictment said that because Doan Trang did not confess to the crime, moreover the old Penal Code was more favorable to Doan Trang because it stipulates a lower starting level of the penalty frame than the new Penal Code (3). years in the old law instead of 5 years in the new law), so on July 12, 2021, the investigating agency changed its decision to prosecute a criminal case, dropping the prosecution under Article 117 of the new law, but only prosecuted the case. under Article 88 of the old law.
The evidence used to charge Pham Doan Trang
- English document “Brief report on the marine life disaster in Vietnam”;
- English document “General Assessments on human rights situation in Vietnam”;
- English document “Report Assessment of the 2016 Law on Belief and Religion in relation to the exercise of the right to Freedom of Religion and Belief in Vietnam”;
- Vietnamese document: “Report – research: Evaluation of the 2016 law on belief and religion and the situation of exercising the right to freedom of religion and belief”;
- Two interviews with BBC News Vietnamese and Radio Free Asia (RFA) in 2018
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Vu an Pham oan Trang Cao trang cho biet nhung gi BBC News Tieng Viet

Vụ án Phạm Đoan Trang_ Cáo trạng cho biết những gì_ – BBC News Tiếng Việt.pdf

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Pham Doan Trang case What does the indictment say BBC News Vietnamese

Pham Doan Trang case_ What does the indictment say_ – BBC News Vietnamese.pdf

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October 19, 2021
Pham Doan Trang in BBC News Tiếng Việt: Blogger Phạm Đoan Trang được là thành viên danh dự của PEN, Đức
PEN in Germany has just recognized dissident blogger Pham Doan Trang as an honorary member of this organization.
- Title: Blogger Phạm Đoan Trang được là thành viên danh dự của PEN, Đức
- Publish Date: May 19, 2021
- Publisher: BBC News Tiếng Việt
Excerpt:

Mr. Ralf Nestmeyer, Vice Chairman and Representative of PEN’s ‘Captive Writers’ Committee in Germany, confirmed the above information to BBC News Vietnamese on May 19.

“We make journalist Pham Doan Trang an honorary member because she is a strong supporter of freedom of expression in Vietnam and has been arrested for it. We demand the immediate release of honorary member Pham Doan Trang and assure her of our unending solidarity,” Mr Ralf Nestmeyer told the BBC.

What does the PEN statement say?

PEN’s website on May 18 posted a statement in German that reads:

“Vietnam: Pham Doan Trang becomes an honorary member of PEN Germany.

The German PEN Center named independent journalist Pham Doan Trang an honorary member and demanded her immediate release.

She is one of the most famous critics of the Vietnamese government and was arrested on October 6, 2020 at her apartment in Ho Chi Minh City. She faces 20 years in prison on charges of conducting propaganda against the state.”

Ralf Nestmeyer, Vice Chairman and Representative of PEN’s ‘Captive Writers’ Committee said in a statement:

“Vietnam is one of the countries in the world that specifically restricts freedom of speech. The Communist Party terrorizes media workers in such a serious way that Trang has no contact with her family and friends. her attorney.”

PEN’s statement reiterates Pham Doan Trang’s activities to contribute to the education of the people and to support democracy, such as founding the online magazine Luat Khoa and being the editor of TheVietnamese, two channels for disseminating legal knowledge.

“Because of her job, Trang has been repeatedly targeted by Vietnamese authorities. In August 2018, she was detained by the police and hospitalized. Now, she is in danger of being reversed again. in prison. In 2014, she received the Feuchtwanger Fellowship of Villa Aurora in Los Angeles. In 2019, she received the Press Freedom Award from Reporters Without Borders,” the statement read.

‘Special meaning’

From Australia, Ms. Hoa Nguyen told the BBC:

“The beautiful act of Van pen Duc organization has a special meaning. Accepting Pham Doan Trang as their member while she was imprisoned by the Vietnamese communist government is a statement to defend and support her. It also speaks to the attitude of this organization, and tells the Vietnamese authorities what foreign organizations and the international community think about Pham Doan Trang’s case.”

According to Ms. Hoa Nguyen, on May 19, more than 7 months after being arrested, Pham Doan Trang still had not been able to meet her relatives and had not been in contact with a lawyer.

A month ago, Ms. Bui Thi Thien Can, Pham Doan Trang’s mother, made an application to the Director of the Hanoi People’s Procuracy and the Head of the Hanoi City Investigation Agency, asking to meet her daughter.

“But Ms. Can’s application has so far received no response,” Ms. Hoa Nguyen told the BBC.

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Blogger Pham oan Trang uoc la thanh vien danh du cua PEN uc BBC News Tieng Viet

Blogger Phạm Đoan Trang được là thành viên danh dự của PEN, Đức – BBC News Tiếng Việt.pdf

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Blogger Pham Doan Trang is an honorary member of PEN Germany BBC News Vietnamese

Blogger Pham Doan Trang is an honorary member of PEN, Germany – BBC News Vietnamese.pdf

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May 19, 2021
Pham Doan Trang in BBC News Tiếng Việt: Báo chí thế giới lên tiếng vụ Phạm Đoan Trang bị bắt tháng 10/2020

The world press spoke out about Pham Doan Trang’s arrest in October 2020.

See numerous articles from different news agencies around the world as they reported and analyzed the verdict handed to prominent journalist and author Pham Doan Trang by the Vietnamese authorities.

Title: Báo chí thế giới lên tiếng vụ Phạm Đoan Trang bị bắt tháng 10/2020
Publish Date: October 8, 2020
Publisher: BBC News Tiếng Việt

Full translation:

Note: Original texts in Vietnamese.

A series of articles in many languages, from many news agencies around the world, simultaneously reported and analyzed the case of dissident journalist Pham Doan Trang who was arrested on October 7 and accused of “propaganda” against the state’.

With this charge, Pham Doan Trang could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The arrest of journalist Pham Doan Trang: Initial reactions from international and Vietnamese

Activist Pham Doan Trang was arrested

On October 7, BBC News published an article titled “Pham Doan Trang: Vietnam arrests famous pro-democracy blogger”, in which:

“Vietnam has arrested a prominent dissident writer and blogger just hours after holding talks with the United States on human rights.”

Simultaneously speaking out

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Dissident journalist Pham Doan Trang was arrested by the Vietnamese government on the evening of October 6, 2020

On the same day, The Guardian of the UK had an article with the title: “Vietnam arrests famous journalist when the state suppresses freedom of expression online”.

Writing that Pham Doan Trang is the author of many books with works on a variety of topics, from women’s rights and LGBT to the environment, campaign activities and land rights, the article states analysts’ opinions. :

Ms. Trang’s arrest is part of a crackdown on activists ahead of Vietnam’s national congress in January, while Facebook is facing criticism for growing complicity in the crackdown. press freedom of speech.”

British news agency Reuters reported that “Vietnam detained an activist a few hours after a human rights meeting with the US”. The bulletin wrote:

Sources and international human rights groups say Vietnam has arrested a blogger and a prominent dissident for “anti-state activities” hours after the country’s government held protests. Annual human rights negotiations with the United States…

Bloomberg also quoted a statement from Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), saying the arrest came hours after the annual human rights dialogue between the US and Vietnam. .

“Doan Trang’s blog covers politically sensitive topics, including the relationship between Vietnam and China and tensions over maritime and island claims,” Robertson said. According to Robertson, police arrested Trang in May 2016 when she went to meet President Barack Obama, who invited her to attend an activist gathering with him during his visit to Hanoi.

Aljazeera news agency also reported on the arrest of Pham Doan Trang. The paper portrays her as a celebrity known for her active fieldwork, participating in protests in support of imprisoned dissidents, demonstrating on the environment, and responding to demands. China’s navigation in the South China Sea.

Trang has been in the sights of security forces for more than 10 years and has been detained and harassed several times, including when she was on her way to a meeting with then-US President Barack Obama in 2016. , and a year later, when she came into contact with a delegation from the European Union on a fact-finding trip before the annual human rights dialogue with Vietnam,” the newspaper wrote.

The Book Seller reports that Ms. Pham Doan Trang is scheduled to speak in a joint session presented by the IPA at the Frankfurt Book Fair and her video speech will be broadcast as planned on October 15. .

In an article titled “Prix Voltaire laureate Pham Doan Trang arrested in Vietnam”, The Book Seller quotes Kristenn Einarsson, chair of the IPA’s Freedom of Publication committee, as saying: “This is terrible news. but sadly, it was predictable.Pham Doan Trang and Freedom Publishing House have been operating in the dark for many years.Mrs. Trang’s work and courage is an inspiration to all publishers. publishing, and the international publishing community must support her and fight for real freedom of publishing in Vietnam.”

Juergen Boos, president of Frankfurter Buchmesse, said: “We are very concerned about Pham Doan Trang’s arrest, just before the start of the world’s largest book fair that celebrates freedom of expression. We are delighted that the international publishing community will be able to listen to Pham Doan Trang in a pre-recorded video at the panel session on the topic ‘Guerilla publishing and international support’.”

Theshiftnews page quotes Mr. Daniel Bastard, Head of Asia – Pacific Department of Reporters Without Borders (RSW) – which awarded Pham Doan Trang the Press Freedom Award for Influence in 2019: “The arrest case Pham Doan Trang is the latest stage in the current Communist Party leadership’s pursuit of an increasingly repressive policy.

“Her only crime was providing her compatriots with independent information and helping them to fully exercise their rights under the Vietnamese constitution. Her place of residence is not a prison. She must be released immediately”.

The RSW representative also said that the most recent contact with Pham Doan Trang was when she was hospitalized for treatment of a leg wound that was allegedly caused by police after her arrest in 2018.

Shawn Crispin, Southeast Asia representative of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) , said in an article posted on the organization’s website: “The Vietnamese government should immediately release Pham Doan Trang and abolish it. all charges against her. Also end the decades-long campaign of repression against her. Vietnam needs to stop treating independent journalists like criminals.”

Vietnam is usually near the bottom of RSW’s rankings for press freedom, and currently ranks 174 out of 180 countries.

‘Increased suppression of freedom of speech’

In the case of Pham Doan Trang’s arrest, Yu Hah from Amnesty International told The Guardian that Facebook’s decision to comply with Vietnamese authorities’ censorship requests earlier this year “made them complicit with the country’s harsh suppression of free speech”.

“We’ve seen a steady increase in the moderation of legitimate comments on social and political issues on this platform since 2018, with a particularly strong increase in 2020. “

“Merely sharing information about Vietnam’s many serious human rights issues, from land disputes to the death penalty, has now become routine subject to arbitrary censorship on Facebook,” said Ms. Yu Hah. speak.

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Pham Doan Trang won the Press Freedom Award, Influence category, of Reporters Without Borders, 2019

The Guardian reiterated that in March 2020, a Reuters report revealed how Facebook faced intense pressure from the Vietnamese government. State-run telecommunications companies have shut down Facebook’s Vietnam-based servers. This slows down local traffic on Facebook.

As a result, Facebook began censoring content deemed “anti-state” in Vietnam, including content posted by activists like Pham Doan Trang.

Facebook emphasizes that the posts are not deleted but are “geo-blocked”, meaning that users with a Vietnamese IP address cannot see them, but are still visible to users abroad.

Pham Doan Trang: Publishing House was suppressed because he wanted to reveal people’s knowledge and tell the truth

Ms. Pham Doan Trang won the Press Freedom Award 2019

But the article in The Guardian claims that geo-blocking not only affects important posts, but also affects individual accounts.

The example given is Bui Van Thuan, a Vietnamese Facebook user with tens of thousands of followers. On January 8, after Thuan posted content critical of the government, he received a notice from Facebook that “due to a legal requirement” in Vietnam, his account would be “restricted from access”.

In the weeks leading up to the interview with The Guardian, Thuan publicly wrote on Facebook about the conflict over land rights in Dong Tam. More specifically, he predicted an imminent crackdown. Two days later, about 3,000 policemen raided Dong Tam village at dawn and in clashes with villagers, three policemen and Mr. Le Dinh Kinh – the village’s spiritual leader – were killed.

Just eight months after the clash, the murder trial delivered a verdict. Two brothers, his son Le Dinh Kinh was sentenced to death. Thuan’s Facebook account remained restricted all the time and was only unlocked a few days after the trial ended.

Carl Thayer, professor emeritus at the University of New South Wales Canberra, an expert on Southeast Asia, told The Guardian that since Vietnam started implementing the Cybersecurity Law in 2019 there has been “a clear increase” marked the arrest and trial of Vietnamese who expressed their views on a number of social issues, especially corruption and the environment, on social networks”.

“Most of the arrests are indirectly related to the upcoming national congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam [in January],” Professor Carl Thayer was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

“In other words,” said Carl Thayer, “the arrests are part of a process that continues to quell disagreements on sensitive social issues and prevent others from following suit. Arrests will spike in the coming months as the congress draws near.”

Update: On October 18, 2021, the Hanoi People’s Procuracy issued an indictment against Ms. Pham Thi Doan Trang for “conducting propaganda against the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, as stipulated in article 88 of the Penal Code 1999”. According to Vietnamese newspapers on the same day, the indictment was transferred to the Hanoi People’s Court. The trial is expected to be opened on November 4, presided over by Judge Chu Phuong Ngoc.

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Bao chi the gioi len tieng vu Pham oan Trang bi bat thang 10 2020 BBC News Tieng Viet

Báo chí thế giới lên tiếng vụ Phạm Đoan Trang bị bắt tháng 10_2020 – BBC News Tiếng Việt.pdf

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World press speaks out about Pham Doan Trangs arrest in October 2020 BBC News Vietnamese

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October 8, 2020
LIV’s Trinh Huu Long in BBC News Tiếng Việt VN: Giới đấu tranh nói hoãn luật biểu tình ‘đẩy dân vào thế rủi ro’
Luật Khoa editor-in-chief Trinh Huu Long sits down with BBC News Tiếng Việt to share his thoughts on the delays by the Vietnamese government to come up with a law on protests.
- Title: VN: Giới đấu tranh nói hoãn luật biểu tình ‘đẩy dân vào thế rủi ro’
- Publish Date: May 15, 2020
- Publisher: BBC News Tiếng Việt
Excerpt:

Note: Original texts in Vietnamese.

The Vietnamese government continues to delay the Law on Protests due to “afraid of hostile forces to disrupt”. What dangers do people face and what should be done to protect their rights?

The Vietnamese government has just said that it has not yet proposed to include a number of bills, including the Law on Protests, into the law-making program for 2020 and 2021.

Analysts say that the real reason behind the decision to delay the Protest law for nearly 10 years was “to protect the regime”.

“In a less transparent environment like Vietnam, we hardly have an answer to the real reason for the delay. I can only surmise that this is purely a political issue, a safety issue. of the regime,” said Mr. Trinh Huu Long, jurist, editor-in-chief of Luat Khoa magazine, in an interview with BBC News Vietnamese on May 14.

Fear of arguments, fear of losing privileges

Activist Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh from the US told BBC News Vietnamese on May 13: “The Law on Protests is like a ball being kicked back and forth from the Government to the National Assembly to the Ministry of Public Security and the last reason. The last but most authentic announcement by the Ministry of Public Security has just been announced by the Ministry of Public Security that is fear of hostile forces taking advantage of it. With past experiences, related to student movement protests in Saigon before 1975. , the Communist Party understands better than anyone the concept of ‘taking advantage of protests’ to oppose the government, this is the biggest reason to delay the Law on Protests.”

From Taiwan, jurist, journalist, and editor-in-chief of Law Faculty Trinh Huu Long said that one of the reasons for delaying the publication of the draft Law on Protests by the Ministry of Public Security was fear of being publicly commented and opposed. defend.

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Trinh Huu Long (centre) at one of the 2011 summer protests

He analyzed: “According to the normal process, a bill that needs to be passed takes at least 2 sessions of the National Assembly, which means a year. First, they will submit to the National Assembly for comments at a session, Sooner or later, the law can be passed at the next session.In that year, the draft must be announced to the public, the National Assembly deputies must give opinions, the press will have to step in. not only the domestic press but also the international press. People will participate a lot, especially through social networks.”

“We can imagine that if the Ministry of Public Security and the Government submit the bill to the National Assembly, it will open up a huge discussion space. If we are the Government, we are the Communist Party of Vietnam, Do we want to open such a large playground that lasts a year for all participants?”, he added.

Activist Nguyen Trang Nhung analyzed: “When having substantive rights, people will exercise their rights, especially those who are interested in politics and society will speak out more, express their attitudes more than by protests. This puts pressure on government agencies, forcing the government to adjust existing policies and ways of working, which is what the government does not want.”

Take pictures,

People give flowers to traffic police during the Formosa 5/2016 protest at Ben Thanh market area, Ho Chi Minh City

“Not only have the right to protest, the Vietnamese people have long been restricted in many other human and civil rights. Government agencies always want to maintain that so that they can easily govern and act arbitrarily. act as they please. If there are laws now and the right to protest is exercised substantively, the government will lose its privileges. They can’t behave arbitrarily anymore.”

“If the promotion of these rights goes further, leading to multi-party, for example, then the Communist Party of Vietnam will no longer have a unique position,” added Ms. Trang Nhung.

Lawyer Trinh Huu Long said that the Ministry of Public Security and the Government do not want to lose their privilege, which is to “use law enforcement documents to control protests”.

In another aspect, Mr. Long also commented that the delay of the protest law is also related to the political life of the Minister of Public Security himself: “This is a pivotal period in preparing senior personnel before the Congress. Party. As one of the candidates for the top leadership positions, Minister To Lam will not risk introducing a bill that will cause a stir, which could affect his political chances.

What do people have to do?

Citing the fact that Vietnam does not have an independent court, an impartial and objective trial, it is difficult for the people to have tools to protect as well as the abuse of power by the executive side is difficult to control, lawyer Trinh Huu Long said: Because of the absence of such legal protection mechanisms, people who want to protect their rights have to resort to external mechanisms, such as international organizations and foreign governments. equally regrettable”.

“When the number of people who exercise and support the right to protest is large enough, then the behavior of the government will have to change, and change in a positive direction. The story lies in the correlation of power between the two. The people and the government We are talking about the law with an autocratic government, with people who completely disobey even the law, even the constitution they put in. This is not a legal story. law. It is a political story,” he analyzed.

“People, if they want their rights to be respected, have no choice but to persevere and courageously exercise their rights when necessary, not wait for the Ministry of Public Security, not the Government, no waiting for the National Assembly to grant me the right to protest.”

According to Mr. Long, people need to realize that “the right is in themselves, not in any law”. “Once we have enough people to exercise that right, we will change the situation,” he stressed.

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VN Gioi au tranh noi hoan luat bieu tinh ay dan vao the rui ro BBC News Tieng Viet

VN_ Giới đấu tranh nói hoãn luật biểu tình ‘đẩy dân vào thế rủi ro’ – BBC News Tiếng Việt.pdf

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VN Protesters say postponing protest law puts people at risk BBC News Vietnamese

VN_ Protesters say postponing protest law ‘puts people at risk’ – BBC News Vietnamese.pdf

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May 15, 2020
LIV’s Trinh Huu Long and Pham Doan Trang in BBC Vietnamese Giải Tự do Báo chí: Phạm Đoan Trang đấu tranh bằng ngòi bút
Trinh Huu Long co-founder of Luật Khoa Magazine and The Vietnamese received the 2019 Press Freedom award by Reporters Without Borders in behalf of colleague Pham Doan Trang. According to him, the Prize for Impact made Ms. Pham not only a journalist but also a democracy activist who uses her pen to help change the political rule in Vietnam.
- Title: Giải Tự do Báo chí: Phạm Đoan Trang đấu tranh bằng ngòi bút
- Publish Date: September 13, 2019
- Publisher: BBC Tiếng Việt
Excerpt:

Note: Original texts in Vietnamese.

With Pham Doan Trang being awarded the 2019 Freedom of the Press award, it is hoped that domestic authorities will “reduce the intensity of their repression against the individual”, lawyer Trinh Huu Long told the BBC.

A freelance journalist, blogger, and a well-known democracy fighter in Vietnam has just been awarded the 2019 Press Freedom award by Reporters Without Borders, in the Influence category.

Representing journalist Pham Doan Trang at the award ceremony was Mr. Trinh Huu Long, who co-founded two websites of Luat Khoa Magazine and The Vietnamese with Ms. Doan Trang.

“We hope that by being more known to the world [through this award], and more recognized by the world for the efforts of independent Vietnamese journalists, the Vietnamese government will reduce the intensity of the violence. pressure on Pham Doan Trang personally and the community of Vietnamese independent journalists as well as Vietnamese activists,” Mr. Trinh Huu Long said from Berlin.

“We hope that international pressure will help gradually improve the Vietnamese government’s attitude, behavior and policies towards independent journalists,” added Mr. Trinh Huu Long.

This event made her “not only a journalist but also a democracy activist,” said Trinh Huu Long.

“Pham Doan Trang tries to use the most popular language, to explain in the most understandable way the seemingly abstract concepts, difficult to understand about democracy, human rights, the rule of law, the rights people have.”

She wants to “use her pen to wish to change the political regime in Vietnam”, Mr. Trinh Huu Long added.

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Giai Tu do Bao chi Pham oan Trang au tranh bang ngoi but BBC News Tieng Viet

Giải Tự do Báo chí_ Phạm Đoan Trang đấu tranh bằng ngòi bút – BBC News Tiếng Việt.pdf

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Press Freedom Prize Pham Doan Trang struggles with pen BBC News Vietnamese

Press Freedom Prize_ Pham Doan Trang struggles with pen – BBC News Vietnamese.pdf

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September 13, 2019
LIV’s Pham Doan Trang and Trinh Huu Long in BBC News Tiếng Việt: Nhà báo ‘không lề’ Phạm Đoan Trang được giải Tự do Báo chí 2019
2019 Press Freedom Prize honoree Pham Doan Trang talks to the BBC on the relevance of her Prize for Impact award especially to freelance journalists, bloggers, writers.. everyone who fights and works for democracy in Vietnam.
- Title: Nhà báo ‘không lề’ Phạm Đoan Trang được giải Tự do Báo chí 2019
- Publish Date: September 13, 2019
- Publisher: BBC News Tiếng Việt
Excerpt:

Note: Original texts in Vietnamese.

Freelance journalist Pham Doan Trang was awarded the 2019 Freedom of the Press Award by Reporters Without Borders, in the category of Influence.

Run for 27 years, the Freedom of the Press awards honor those who refuse to remain silent, “despite the most extreme circumstances” and “threats to life and body,” the statement said. Reporters Without Borders writes.

From Hanoi, journalist Pham Doan Trang gave an interview to the BBC after hearing the news from Berlin.

Ms. Pham Doan Trang: Knowing that I have been awarded the Press Freedom award in the category of Influence, I am very happy. That means that Reporters Without Borders organization evaluates that my works have had a certain impact on the Vietnamese reader community.

I am very grateful to my readers. My main feeling right now is to thank those who have read my work, both at home and abroad. I believe that it is no coincidence that Reporters Without Borders is aware of my works.

BBC: This year’s announcement and award ceremony took place in Berlin. She did not attend even though she was invited. Why?

Ms. Pham Doan Trang: To go to Berlin, I will definitely have to work with the Ministry of Public Security in the exit procedures. There is no shortage of cases of activists in Vietnam who already have exit visas from foreign countries and bought plane tickets, but when they go to the airport, they are detained by the police and not allowed to go.

I knew in advance that I would fall into such a situation. Not to mention, if it is possible to leave the country, when returning, immigration procedures will also be detained, will have to go through unpleasant dialogues with the security party.

I know they will set conditions, and I also know in advance that I will not accept them.

So I decided not to go, to avoid having to go through those uncomfortable conversations.

BBC: Although the press freedom award has been awarded for nearly 30 years, it is known that she is the first Vietnamese to be awarded the award as a professional reporter . Will this have any impact on the activities of you and freelance journalists in Vietnam in the future?

Ms. Pham Doan Trang: I don’t want to make predictions about the future, but I hope that this award will have a positive value not only for me personally but also for the whole community that fights and works for democracy. , the community of freelance journalists, bloggers, netizens in Vietnam, who dare to use social networks to voice their opinions, who are always direct victims of bullying, oppression and terrorism by the police.

Thousands of bloggers have been constantly “noticed”, and in the past two years alone, hundreds of people have been sent to prison for things related to livestream on Facebook.

I hope this award of mine, as the mission of Reporters Without Borders puts it, will bring comfort to journalists in countries that are still authoritarian, so that they can feel that they are not alone, they are always supported, supported, encouraged, encouraged, knowing that their work is not in vain, unknown to anyone.

I hope that in the near future, in Vietnam, there will continue to be more people boldly speaking up, voicing their views and opinions on socio-political issues.

In particular, I very much look forward to the appearance of more writers, more freelance journalists, independent journalists, bloggers with professional writing careers, including ‘right-margin’ journalists, participating in the event. social democratization through the media.

BBC: She started her career as a journalist in what she calls a ‘right-wing’ journalist before moving to a freelance journalist position. What do you think is the biggest difference between your role when holding a pen and writing as a person in the mainstream press system and when holding a pen to write in another marginal position?

Ms. Pham Doan Trang: I have worked at the mainstream newspaper, which we often call the state newspaper, or the state-owned newspaper for quite a long time. I worked from 2000 until 2013.

During those 13 years, I worked continuously for VnExpress, VietnamNet, Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper, VTC Television, and other places, about 10 different press agencies.

I also do publishing work. Therefore, I think I have a good understanding of journalism in Vietnam under the censorship of the Communist Party’s Propaganda Department.

Since switching to being a freelance journalist, or as we call ourselves ‘unmarried’ journalists, I see a lot of difference.

I also realized that there are many things that we have misunderstood from time immemorial.

The most obvious difference is more repression.

Free journalists are persecuted by every means, from the subtlest to the grossest. The free space for ‘margin’ journalists is much less than for oriented journalists.

Another big difference that people often misunderstood, or so to say is a misconception so far. That is, people think freelance journalists will not be as influential as mainstream journalists. The articles of freelance journalists are not read by anyone, or only have a negligible number of readers. That is a common concept, and is especially common in mainstream journalism and in police circles.

I know that many of my colleagues in mainstream newspapers question why they have to break their pen to work as ‘reactionaries’, why not go to work for a certain newspaper but go freelance. How many people can it be written down like that?

While if we put ourselves in a newspaper that follows the direction of the Party and the State, we still have the opportunity to have the article published in the newspaper, read by many people, create a greater influence, maybe even influence to policy, through public officials read their articles and they will change their policies, change their minds, etc..

They argue that the influence of the mainstream press is still stronger than that of the fringe press.

I think that is a misconception, and every day I find it more and more wrong.

We see that bloggers, Facebookers who have never been recognized by the state, such as Wind Trader, have great influence.

So does publishing. When I embarked on ‘off-the-shelf’ publishing, i.e. not with officially licensed state publishers, I found that the ‘off-the-shelf’ audience was surprisingly large.

I believe the readership of the Liberal Publishing, such an ‘out-of-the-box’ publisher, is larger than that of the National Political Publishing House, i.e. the Truth Publishing of the day.

In comparison, the number of prints is more, the number of readers is more, the influence is more, the level of interaction with readers is much more.

We had people delivering Liberal Publishing books, specifically my books, to readers, and there were readers who hugged the transcriber and cried, saying, “Thank you for your help. brave enough for us to have these books.”

Of course, there is also the risk of being ‘trapped’ by the police, but we can feel the genuine affection that our readers have for us.

So it can be said that the noticeable difference is the degree of influence between the ‘out-of-the-box’ and the mainstream, the level of readers’ affection for each.

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Nha bao khong le Pham oan Trang uoc giai Tu do Bao chi 2019 BBC News Tieng Viet

Nhà báo ‘không lề’ Phạm Đoan Trang được giải Tự do Báo chí 2019 – BBC News Tiếng Việt.pdf

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Journalist unmarred Pham Doan Trang wins Press Freedom Award 2019 BBC News Vietnamese

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September 13, 2019
LIV’s Vi Tran and Trinh Huu Long in BBC Tiếng Việt: Nhà hoạt động Vi Trần qua cái nhìn của một người cùng chí hướng

Inspirational words and support poured out for passionate activist Vi Tran, co-founder of Luật Khoa, The Vietnamese and co-director of Legal Initiatives for VIETNAM, as she makes her way to full recovery after a series of high-risk surgeries.

Title: Nhà hoạt động Vi Trần qua cái nhìn của một người cùng chí hướng
Publish Date: May 3, 2019
Publisher: BBC Tiếng Việt

Article:

Note: Original texts in Vietnamese.

Co-founder of Luat Khoa magazine told the BBC that activist Wei Chen, who is seriously ill in Taiwan, “has the greatest intention of returning to live in his homeland”.

By the end of May 2, hundreds of people had contributed to the hospital fees for Ms. Vi Tran, co-founder of Luat Khoa magazine and recently The Vietnamese, who is hospitalized in Taiwan due to a brain hemorrhage. led to a stroke more than two weeks ago.

She has had two complicated and high-risk surgeries and is about to have another, and according to her family, “probably a long course of therapy”.

Her family set up a donation page because the hospital fees are quite heavy, while she does not have health insurance in Taiwan, and has spent all her personal money on projects.

In 2015, Ms. Vi, who was described by friends as “deeply in love with Vietnam and the Vietnamese language”, left her career as a lawyer in California to work in the Philippines and Taiwan, promoting Internet and press freedom. and abolish the death penalty as well as advocate for human rights for Vietnam.

‘I want people to understand the law better’

On May 2, answering BBC from Taiwan, Trinh Huu Long, co-founder of Luat Khoa magazine, said: “I always hope that Vi will make a full recovery, because she is young and has been for a long time. In addition, Vi is a very strong and courageous woman. Vi must make a full recovery in order to continue her ideals, she certainly will.”

“Vi is one of the four founders of Luat Khoa, and together with me acts as the co-director of the non-profit organization Legal Initiatives for Vietnam, which is the governing body of the Law. Khoa and The Vietnamese.”

“Vi is a lawyer, her instinct to practice law is very strong. She always wants people to understand the law better, use legal tools and civil rights to challenge those who break the law and violate the law. That’s the mission of Luat Khoa. Before getting sick, Vi was still crawling around with a bunch of newly purchased books on religion and religious freedom in Vietnam, because Vi is in charge of this column, is expected to be officially launched soon after some testing recently.”

“For The Vietnamese newspaper, Vi is the manager and producer, with the help of some volunteers. Vi wants to turn it into a quality and reputable English-language newspaper on political issues and human rights in Vietnam. Nam. Vi is trying to raise money for this newspaper, as it currently has absolutely no operating budget, and hopes to pay a salary for one or two writers and editors.”

“As far as I know, one thing Vi has pursued for a long time and is very passionate about it, is the wrongful trial of death row prisoners in Vietnam. I know Vi cries many times every time she hears Ho Duy’s heartbreaking stories. Hai, Nguyen Van Chuong, Le Van Manh, Dang Van Hien Vi is very passionate about this and often actively collects information, writes articles for The Vietnamese, writes reports to the United Nations and international organizations Vi is also looking for ways to raise funds to expand this activity, because besides Vi and one or two other people, in our country no one seems to go into this issue deeply.”

Mr. Long added:

“I don’t dare say that Vi is different or similar to any other female activist. In my opinion, Vi is a fierce activist, fierce at times to the point of being extremely stubborn. The story of Vi leaves out one fact. favorable career and an easy life in California to go to Asia to work with an income close to the level of a volunteer speaks for that fierceness and stubbornness.”

“She decided not to work for a few years and then returned to the US. For Vi, human rights activism is life, life, not pure work. And when she follows that path, what does Vi do? also do it to the end, just as fiercely.”

“I know Vi loves Vietnam very much. She’s been away from the country since she was 12, but she speaks Vietnamese just like any other in Saigon. Vietnamese literature is in Vi’s veins. She never wanted to leave Vietnam. When my family immigrated to the US, I knew that my family had to convince me by saying that Vi should consider going abroad to study early, and must promise Vi that when she grows up, she will have the right to decide whether to continue in the US or return. Vietnam, only then will Vi agree to go.”

“And Vi’s biggest intention is to return to live in her homeland, whenever possible. Vi last came back in 2012 to volunteer for a humanitarian organization in the West.”

“Another thing is that Vi is extremely hard-working. When she started on this path, she had to learn a lot about Vietnam, from politics, law, to technical terms of these two fields. Vi even learning how to write a newspaper, and write Vietnamese newspapers in a way that is pure Vietnamese. Vi claims to be my “student” because I’m ahead of Vi in journalism.”

Commenting on the fundraising on the Gofundme page that is about to reach the number set by Vi Tran’s family, Mr. Long said:

“I’m really touched by everyone’s interest in Vi. It shows that the community always cares about those who dedicate themselves to the country. Kindness is everywhere. And that is the greatest hope. When we love Vietnam together, love each other and work together, there’s no reason why the country’s future isn’t bright.”

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Nha hoat ong Vi Tran qua cai nhin cua mot nguoi cung chi huong BBC News Tieng Viet

Nhà hoạt động Vi Trần qua cái nhìn của một người cùng chí hướng – BBC News Tiếng Việt.pdf

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Activist Vi Tran through the eyes of a like minded person BBC News Vietnamese

Activist Vi Tran through the eyes of a like-minded person – BBC News Vietnamese.pdf

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May 3, 2019