English PEN welcomes the early release of poet, essayist, scholar and Catholic priest Father Nguyen Van Ly. Father Nguyen Van Ly had been serving an eight-year prison sentence for ‘conducting propaganda against the state’ and was released from prison one month earlier than expected, in May 2016. His release is thought to be an act of goodwill ahead of United States President Obama’s visit to the country.

PEN continues to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those writers and activists imprisoned for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Vietnam is a state party.

TAKE ACTION

Please send appeals:

• Welcoming the release of poet, essayist, scholar and Catholic priest Father Nguyen Van Ly;
• Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all other writers and activists imprisoned or detained for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression in accordance with Article 19 of the ICCPR to which Vietnam is state party.

Appeals to:

His Excellency Tran Dai Quang
President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Hung Vuong street
Ba Dinh district
Ha Noi
Viet Nam

Mr Nguyen Xuan Phuc
Prime Minister
1 Hoang Hoa Tham street
Ba Dinh district
Ha Noi
Viet Nam
Fax: +84 80 44130/ +84 80 44940

Mr Pham Binh Minh
Minister of Foreign Affairs
1 Ton That Dam street
Ba Dinh district
Ha Noi
Viet Nam
Fax: +844 3823 1872
Email: bc.mfa@mofa.gov.vn

Please send copies of your appeals to diplomatic representatives in Vietnam, and to the Vietnamese Embassy in London.

His Excellency Mr Nguyen Van Thao
Embassy of Vietnam
12-14 Victoria Road, London W8 5RD
Fax: 0207 565 3853

His Excellency Mr Giles Lever
British Embassy Hanoi
Central Building, 4th floor
31 Hai Ba Trung
Hanoi
Vietnam