Dear friends,
As you may have heard, Vietnamese authorities have arrested Mr. Le Cong Dinh, a prominent lawyer, writer, blogger, and human rights defender in Vietnam. Dinh has represented other writers and human rights advocates in Vietnamese courts over the past years, courageously taking on the cases despite overwhelming odds against cases concerning freedom of expression in the country.
Now it is Dinh who needs help. He was arrested on 13 June 2009 by the Vietnamese police over charges of anti-State propaganda, sedition, and for allegedly conspiring with subversives. If convicted he faces up to 20 years' imprisonment.
SEAPA would like to solicit your support in campaigning for Le Cong Dinh's immediate release, and for a fair and transparent hearing of the charges against him.
We believe these charges are flimsy and are simply meant to still critical voices in Vietnamese society. Dinh's arrest simultaneously sends a chilling messsage to both writers and advocates on the one hand, and to lawyers who, fully working within the system and respecting Vietnam's laws, represent them on the other. SEAPA's statement on Dinh's arrest can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/m9lcvj
Beyond reading and passing on our statement, you can have a direct hand in the campaign for Dinh's release and fair trial.
1. Write or fax a letter of protest to the Vietnamese embassy in your country. More details about Dinh's case are in the SEAPA website (www.seapa.org). For your convenience, and to facilitate a rapid response, we have also pasted below a draft protest letter that you are free to use and send on.
For a partial list of Vietnamese embassy addresses, please click here: http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/embassy.html
2. Sign the online petition for Dinh. Concerned friends of Dinh have set up a petition here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/294288684
Thank you for your support. Dinh has spoken out consistently for writers, bloggers, and free speech advocates in Vietnam. Let's speak out for him. Please see the draft letter below, and do consider sending it to the Vietnamese embassies in your respective countries.
Roby Alampay
Executive Director
SEAPA
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DRAFT/TEMPLATE LETTER OF CONCERN FOR LE CONG DINH
DATE:
Dear Sirs/Madams:
This is to express (MY / OUR) deep concern over the Vietnamese authorities' arrest on 13 June 2009 of Le Cong Dinh, an established lawyer, writer, and defender of free expression and human rights.
The charges brought against Mr. Dinh, including allegations that he was distributing "anti-state propaganda" could carry the penalty of up to 20 years' imprisonment. Given his reputation and experience as a defender of other writers and advocates of human rights and democracy in Vietnam, Mr. Dinh's arrest is a simultaneous attack on two sectors vital to democratic reform in Vietnam or any society. It sends a chilling message not only to other writers and citizens who peacefully advocate for change, but also to those in the legal community who would defend the Vietnamese people's right to free expression.
(I / We / Your organization's name), thus call for the immediate and unconditional release of Le Cong Dinh. We urge the Vietnamese government to assure and ensure transparency and fairness in the consideration of the charges brought against Mr. Dinh, by giving him access to his lawyers, and allowing independent media access to any and all future proceedings. We would also ask that the international legal community to which Mr. Dinh belongs, and within which he is a respected and recognized champion of democracy and human rights, be allowed to monitor all proceedings against Mr. Dinh, so as to hopefully attest to the transparency and fairness he and the Vietnamese people deserve.
Thank you.
(Your name, address, and country)
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Fill in and send on the draft letter above to the Vietnamese embassy in your country. Once again, for a partial list of Vietnamese embassy addresses, please click here: http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/embassy.html
