Nguyen Van Hai "Dieu Cay", Vietnam
BACKGROUND:
Nguyen Van Hai, better known by his pen name "Dieu Cay," is a renowned blogger, journalist, and democracy activist in Vietnam.
As one of the founding members of the Club of Free Journalists (Cau Lac Bo Nha Bao Tu Do) in 2006, Dieu Cay is well known for reporting on human rights and corruption and for his participation in protests against Chinese foreign policy. His popular online postings address the need for greater democracy and human rights in Vietnam. Last year Dieu Cay was one of his country's most vocal critics of the Olympic torch relay. Previously, he had been under close police surveillance and harassed by the authorities since taking part in demonstrations in Ho Chi Minh City and questioning China's claim to sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel Islands. On October 29, 2008, the US-based Vietnam Human Rights Network (VNHRN), gave Dieu Cay an award on for his commitment to free expression.
Dieu Cay was detained in Dalat City on April 19, 2008 and charged five days later with "tax fraud." His trial began on September 10 at the Vietnamese People's Court at Ho Chi Minh City. Foreign journalists were not allowed into the courtroom. Dieu Cay was given a prison sentence of two and a half years, which was confirmed on appeal in December. At his appeal, he provided evidence that his ex-wife had attempted to pay the overdue taxes in February 2008 but was prevented from doing so by the police.
Le Cong Dinh, Dieu Cay's defence attorney and a prominent human rights advocate, claimed that the police had failed to respect standard procedure in both the arrest and the trial: "Dieu Cay was arrested before the authorities had even established the monetary value of the alleged fraud," he said. "In this kind of case, the person accused of fraud is first asked to pay the fine. He is only arrested if he cannot produce the money. But Dieu Cay was never asked to pay ... This conviction is a disgrace; the trial was a grotesque performance because the sentence was decided in advance and the court spectators consisted of 'extras' who were installed there, some allegedly with pay, well before the start of the trial."
Dieu Cay has since been moved to three different prisons without his family being given proper notice. He has not been allowed to receive letters or reading materials, and family visits have been strictly limited. To date, friends' requests to visit him have not been granted. According to reports, the police have continued to harass his family and his property has been seized. Members of his Independent Journalist Network in Vietnam have also been monitored and harassed.
On April 1, 2009, his family was scheduled to visit him at his prison in Saigon, only to learn that he had been transferred to Cai Tau Prison in Ca Mau, U Minh province. Given the treacherous road conditions, the round-trip from Saigon to U Minh would take 18 hours. His family believes this is a tactic used by the authorities to prevent relatives from visiting him, and to restrict news of conditions inside the prison from reaching the outside world.
While imprisoned in Ho Chi Minh City, Dieu Cay was allowed monthly family visits. Currently, these visits require his family to submit to lengthy bureaucratic procedures in both Saigon and Ca Mau.
Cai Tau Prison, where Dieu Cay is currently being held, is notorious for the mistreatment and torture of prisoners.
Useful information:
VIETNAM: Crackdown on dissidents
http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/go/news
/vietnam-crackdown-on-dissidents
Vietnam tightens rules on blogs
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7798681.stm
HRW in Vietnam: Free Prominent Rights Lawyer Le Cong Dinh
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/06/23/
vietnam-free-prominent-rights-lawyer-le-cong-dinh
BBC News: US Urges Vietnam to Free Lawyer
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8102211.stm
Two Vietnamese editors sacked
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7807519.stm
Leading blogger's conviction upheld on appeal
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29524
HRW in Vietnam: New Round of Arrests Target Democracy Activists
http://www.usvtc.org/us-vietnam/issues/hr/HR_Watch_9-12-08.pdf
The Presentation of the Vietnam Human Rights Award 2008 to Dieu Cay
http://www.vietnamhumanrights.net/website/VNHR_121408.htm
