WRITTEN QUESTION E-2854/02

by Marco Pannella (NI) to the Commission

(10 October 2002)

Subject: Journalist Nguyen Vu Binh imprisoned again

According to various sources including the Vietnam Club for Democracy and Reporters without borders, on 25 September Nguyen Vu Binh was arrested for the second time in three months. On the evening of 25 September, police entered his home, carried out a search and seized several of his personal belongings. The journalist was placed under arrest and probably taken to prison B 14, in the Thanh Tri district, about ten kilometres from Hanoi. Nguyen Vu Binh worked for Tap Chi Cong San (the magazine of the Communist newspaper), before being sacked in January 2001 for attempting to found an independent party. Since then he has written articles critical of the Vietnamese Government. Nguyen Vu Binh had already been questioned briefly on 19 July after he had sent a written report to the participants in an American conference on human rights in Washington DC. Released the following day, he has been kept since then under strict police surveillance, and has to report to the police every day. In August he joined a group of twenty other writers and dissidents in signing a petition addressed to the Vietnamese Government calling for institutional reforms, including the creation of a constitutional court and the establishment of an independent anti-corruption body. In August Nguyen Vu Binh posted one of his critical essays, entitled Considerations on the Sino-Vietnamese border agreements, on the Internet. The Vietnamese authorities have not yet brought any formal charges against him.

Is the Commission aware of the arrest of Nguyen Vu Binh and of the charges against him? Does the Commission have any information about the fate of the other two cyber-dissidents currently being held, Le Chi Quang, Professor of Computer Science and a graduate of the Faculty of Law, and Pham Hong Son? More generally, does the Commission not believe that it should take concrete initiatives in support of Vietnamese dissidents, especially by promoting the creation of a Voice of Europe radio station in Vietnamese, and by covering the expenses for the defence of the accused?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(12 November 2002)

The Commission, together with the Member States represented in Vietnam, monitors closely human rights developments in Vietnam as part of the policy of the Union to encourage and support the continued commitment of the Government of Vietnam to progress in the field of human rights. The Commission also participates with the Member States in regular dialogue with and in all Union démarches to the Government of Vietnam on human rights issues.

The Commission is indeed aware of the cases raised by the Honourable Member.

In relation to Mr Nguyen Vu Binh, it has not yet been possible to obtain confirmation of his arrest, but the Delegation of the Commission is aware of the reports mentioned in the question and is continuing its enquiries. It is understood that Professor Le Chi Quang was arrested in a cyber-café in Hanoi in February 2002 and is currently in detention while awaiting trial. It is also understood that Mr Pham Hong Son was arrested in March 2002 and while he was initially detained for four months while investigation of his case was taking place, he remains in detention.

The Commission does not consider that it would be appropriate to use Community funds to cover the expenses of Vietnamese citizens charged under Vietnamese law or to support the creation of a Voice of Europe in Vietnamese. The Delegation of the Commission, together with the Member States represented in Vietnam, will continue to raise particular issues and individual cases of concern through the appropriate diplomatic channels.