Bach Ngoc Duong, Nguyen
Khac Toan, Rado Tylecote, Luong Duy Phuong,
Nguyen Phuong Anh and Nguyen Van Dai.
FULL
REPORT ATTACHED
The Conservative Party Human Rights
Commission
www.conservativehumanrights.com
September 10th, 2006 - 23.00 GMT: For
Immediate Release
UK CONSERVATIVE PARTY HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION CALLS ON VIETNAM TO CEASE INCREASINGLY SEVERE
REPRESSION AND BEGIN PROCESS OF TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY
The UK’s Conservative Party
Human Rights Commission today released a report from a recent
visit to Vietnam, calling on the government of Vietnam to
release all prisoners of conscience in the country and begin the
process of transition to democracy.
The Commission also issued a statement of support for ‘Bloc
8406’, a growing organisation in the country’s democracy
movement, in its struggle for human rights, freedom and
democracy. Many of the activists in Bloc 8406 are in prison,
under regimes of restricted movement, or subject to constant
police harassment and regular arrest.
As detailed in the report, it appears to the Commission that the
government of Vietnam has launched a new wave of repression to
quell dissent before it hosts the APEC summit on November 16th.
The government appears to have used the recent release of
activists such as Mr Pham Hong Son to deflect attention from its
worsening abuses, such as the apparent torturing to death of
ethnic minority Christian Mr Y Ngo Adrong on July 13th this
year.
Rado Tylecote, the author of the report, said: ‘Vietnam stands
at the advent of a new chapter in its remarkable history. The
vast majority of the Vietnamese people want a multi-party
democracy that respects their rights as human beings. All those
concerned for their welfare, and for human rights in general,
should not allow the Vietnamese government’s deceit to continue.
The process of transition to democracy should begin now’.
--ENDS--
For further information, please see the report at:
www.conservativehumanrights.com/news
Alternatively, please contact the author at
rado.tylecote@conservativehumanrights.com
NOTES TO EDITORS:
During his visit, Rado Tylecote visited dissidents in Saigon (Ho
Chi Minh City), Hue and Hanoi, including Nguyen Khac Toan,
Nguyen Van Dai, Do Nam Hai, Phan Van Loi and Nguyen Van Ly. He
has spoken about the trip on Radio Free Asia.
The Conservative Party Human Rights Commission is a body
established by the Shadow Foreign Secretary in 2005 to highlight
international human rights concerns, and to inform, advise and
develop the party’s foreign policy by making human rights a
priority. Freedom and human dignity should be at the heart of
foreign policy. The Commission is chaired by Gary Streeter MP
and human rights activist Benedict Rogers serves as Deputy
Chairman. The Commission includes several Members of Parliament.
