Vietnam: Authorities drop charges against blogger

21 Apr 11 | Index Index, minipost

Vietnamese authorities have dropped charges against a female blogger who was detained for :infringing on the interests of the state”. She was arrested for defamation after describing a senior official’s son as a womanizer. Le Nguyen Huong Tra, who blogged under the pseudonym Co Gai Do Long, was arrested last October and released on bail this January. Authorities have declared her actions to be “less serious” than first thought.

Vietnam: Lawyer jailed after calling for democratic reform

06 Apr 11 | Index Index, minipost

A lawyer has been sentenced to seven years in prison and a further three years’ house arrest. Cu Huy Ha Vu’s trial lasted for one day, during it one of his lawyers was ejected and another three walking out in protest. The court convicted him of defaming Vietnam and producing propaganda against the state. Vu has called for an end to the country’s one-party system and has twice tried to sue the Vietnamese prime minister. He is the son of a famous Vietnamese poet who was a revolutionary leader in the Ho Chi Minh government.

Vietnam: Pro-democracy cyber activists detained

08 Mar 11 | Index Index, minipost

Two prominent pro-democracy cyber activists were last week detained for calling for Middle East style demonstrations in Vietnam. Nguyen Dan Que who is 69, and Nguyen Van Ly who suffers from brain tumour, were detained after criticising the government and asking for peaceful protests. They have been released but are being closely monitored by the authorities who will decide later this month on how to deal with them. Presently, there are 16 cyber activists in detention in Vietnam.