Calling For The Release of Democracy Activist Tran Khai Thanh Thuy

Greetings,

Mrs Tran Khai Thanh Thuy was reportedly moved to Hoa Lu prison on 19 October 2009, Hanoi, following her arrest on 8 October 2009 on charges of assault. Members of her family have reported that she was the victim of an assault at the hands of police agents, and that the photograph used as evidence against her has been doctored.

Tran Khai Thanh Thuy is a novelist and journalist, member of banned pro-democracy group Bloc 8406, and an honorary member of English PEN, which works to promote literature and human rights. In 2007 Tran Khai Thanh Thuy received the Human Rights Watch Hellman/Hammett Award.

On 8 October 2009, Tran Khai Thanh Thuy was arrested while travelling to support six other activists on trial for hanging pro-democracy banners and peacefully expressing their opinions on government policies through internet essays and writings. About 10km from Hai Phong City, the police stopped her car and arrested her. After several hours of detention, she was released to her home at approximately 4 pm, and told that she could not leave her house. At approximately 8.30 pm that evening, there was a disturbance at her home, caused by two individuals, allegedly plain-clothes police officers. As they were unable to identify the individuals as police officers, Tran Khai Thanh Thuy and her husband, Mr Do Ba Tan, screamed and tried to defend themselves in front of their 13 year-old daughter, but Tran Khai Thanh Thuy was hit with bricks and suffered an injury to the top of her head. Police officers stationed outside the house did not intervene.

Tran Khai Thanh Thuy has been subject to ongoing harassment by the Vietnamese authorities. On 7 October 2009 Tran Khai Thanh Thuy was denied access to the Hanoi courthouse to attend the trial of teacher Vu Hung, despite the announcement by the authorities of a “public trial” for the proceedings. Police backed down after the intervention of foreign embassy representatives present at the court. In April 2007 she was arrested at her home and later sentenced to nine months’ and ten days imprisonment for “disturbing public order”. She was released on 31 January 2008. In October 2006 she was publicly denounced and humiliated during a trial in the “People’s Court” organised by the authorities. She and her family are subject to police surveillance and ongoing harassment – for example, her home has been attacked by thugs, allegedly hired by the police, and she and her family have received threatening phone calls.

The arrest, imprisonment and harassment of Tran Khai Thanh Thuy is directly related to her work in the defence of human rights in Vietnam. This as part of a pattern of ongoing harassment against Tran Khai Thanh Thuy as a human rights defender. Tran Khai Thanh Thuy suffers from diabetes and advanced tuberculosis, and was refused adequate medical care during her previous time in prison. We are seriously concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Tran Khai Thanh Thuy.

We urge the Australian Government to:

1. Call upon the Vietnamese Government to immediately and unconditionally release Tran Khai Thanh Thuy, as she is being held solely as a result of her legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights.

2. Call upon the Vietnamese Government that Australian Representatives are allowed access to the court hearing that will take place on the 5th of Feb 2010.

3. Call upon the Vietnamese government to take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Tran Khai Thanh Thuy and her family.

More information can be found at: freetrankhaithanhthuy.wordpress.com

We thank you for your urgent action on this matter.