A coalition of Vietnamese and international human rights groups are coming together to Stop the Crackdown in Vietnam – Ngưng Ngay Đàn Áp.
Vietnam is in the midst of an unprecedented political crackdown against peaceful expression. So far this year, the Vietnamese authorities have arrested or exiled at least 25 peaceful activists and bloggers. In a series of sham trials, the government has orchestrated the wrongful convictions and sentencing of human rights defenders and bloggers including Tran Thi Nga, Nguyen Van Oai, and Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh to long prison sentences. One of Vietnam’s most renowned human rights lawyers and bloggers, Nguyen Van Dai, has been arbitrarily detained for almost two years without trial.
The Hanoi government has resorted to unsubstantiated national security charges (especially Articles 79 and 88 of the Vietnamese Penal Code) to justify repression of free expression, free information and peaceful advocacy. Authorities have targeted social media and used ‘fake news’ excuses to justify censorship. Vietnamese authorities continually resort to tactics of prosecution, arbitrary detention, abuse, and harassment to silence dissenting voices.
This crackdown violates international law, damages Vietnam’s reputation abroad, and limits the country’s progress.
#StopTheCrackdownVN brings together a coalition of Vietnamese and international organisations advocating for freedom of expression, freedom of information, and the protection of human rights.
- Draw widespread attention to and condemnation of the ongoing crackdown in Vietnam
- Provide support to the detained activists and their families
- Apply existing laws and mechanisms and advocate for diplomatic pressure on the Hanoi government to ensure the release of all political prisoners
Join us!
Brotherhood for Democracy
Chan Hung Nuoc Viet
Defend the Defenders
English PEN
Lawyers for Lawyers
Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada
Reporters Without Borders
Viet Labor Movement
Viet Tan
TAKE ACTION
Spread the word
Share details of the campaign with friends and colleagues and on social media: #StopTheCrackdownVN
If your organisation would be interested in joining the campaign, please email [email protected]
PEN greetings
Every year, our colleagues at PEN International compile a list of writers at risk and their families to whom members are encouraged to send seasonal greetings. Past recipients have told us about how these cards can provide much-needed moral support, and a crucial reminder that they have not been forgotten; others have told of how they were afforded better treatment by prison guards as a result of cards flooding in from all over the world. Find out more and send a card to an imprisoned writer in Vietnam.
Take action for blogger Me Nam