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New York, April 25, 2007?The Committee to Protect Journalists journalist is gravely
concerned about the recent arrest of Tran Khai Thanh Thuy, an award-winning
journalist and writer. Thuy was taken into custody Saturday at her residence,
where she was already being held under house arrest, according to news
reports. She was charged with violating Article 88 of Vietnam?s criminal code, which prohibits the dissemination
of information that authorities deem harmful to the state.
Thuy had posted a number of Internet essays calling for greater
democracy, according to people familiar with her writings. Authorities have
not indicated which of her articles they perceived to be in violation of the
criminal code. If convicted, she faces up to 12 years in jail.
According to CPJ research, at least three Vietnamese writers are
currently behind bars on antistate charges related to material they posted
online.
Article 69 of Vietnam?s
constitution broadly guarantees press freedom, stating that citizens ?shall
enjoy freedom of opinion and speech, freedom of the press, [and] the right to
be informed, the right to assemble, form associations and hold demonstrations
in accordance within the provisions of the law.?
According to CPJ research, conditions had improved for journalists
and pro-democracy activists during Vietnam?s run-up to joining the World Trade Organization,
which it formally acceded to on January 11. Since then, Vietnamese
authorities have resumed their suppression of political opposition groups,
sentencing a number of prominent dissidents to long prison terms.
?Authorities should immediately and unconditionally release Tran Khai
Thanh Thuy,? said Joel Simon, CPJ?s executive director. ?The international
community must not allow the Vietnamese government to use journalists as
negotiating pawns. We call on WTO members to hold Vietnam to account for this cynical manipulation. ?
According to news reports, police also accused Thuy of being a member
of Bloc 8406, a pro-democracy group that last year circulated a petition
calling for a transition to democracy. The authorities also accused her of
illegally organizing a trade union and supporting a dissident human rights
commission.
In February, Thuy was awarded a Hellman-Hammett Grant from Human
Rights Watch; the awards are given annually to dissident writers who display
of courage in the face of political persecution.
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