Immediate release of Miss Nguyễn Phương Uyên and Mr Đinh Nguyên Kha

PETITION TO SUPPORT THE UNCONDITIONAL AND IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF PATRIOTS NGUYỄN PHƯƠNG UYÊN AND ĐINH NGUYÊN KHA

We sign this petition to demand the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Government for the unconditional and immediate release of Miss Nguyễn Phương Uyên and Mr Đinh Nguyên Kha who were sentenced to 6 years and 8 years imprisonment respectively with 3 years house arrest on the 16th May 2013.

Uyên and Kha distributed leaflets protesting against China’s encroachments on Vietnamese territories, and leaflets with the historic flag of Vietnam with 3 red stripes on a yellow background, with the words “1890-1920: national flag of the Great Vietnam from Thanh Thai to Khai Dinh reign; 1948-1975: national flag of the Vietnam State”. Both have been charged with conducting propaganda against the state under Article 88 of the Criminal Law. Uyên and Kha only exercised their rights to freedom of expression as allowed by the Vietnam Constitution.

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Vietnam is a signatory, guarantees its citizens of freedom of expression. It states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

We urged the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs to remind Vietnam of its obligation under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which it is a signatory, to release both Uyên and Kha.

TO BE SUBMITTED TO AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Point of Contact:
BLOC 8406– PHẠM ANH TUẤN - 0423 155 088 –
PO Box 954 Cabramatta 2166