Tran Anh Kim, a member of the Democratic Party of Vietnam (DPV), was convicted and sentenced to five and a half years in prison on December 27, 2009 in Thai Binh. According to Dr. Ngai Nguyen, the Vice Secretary of the DPV, "Recent arrests of numerous activists and the sentencing of Mr. Kim show that the Vietnam government is trying to silence dissent in advance of a Communist Party congress in early 2011." In court, the courageous and defiant Mr. Kim said, "The only crime I have committed was urging the Vietnam government to allow democratic freedom and human rights through peaceful dialogue and nonviolent means."
The other activists who are to go to trial next month include Le Cong Dinh, the current Secretary of the Democratic Party of Vietnam, who has called for multi-party democracy, and Nguyen Tien Trung, the DPV's Youth Leader, and Tran Huynh Duy Thuc and Le Thang Long.
"The Democratic Party of Vietnam," said Dr. Ngai, "is asking the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Congress and leaders from around the world to urge the Vietnam government to release immediately and unconditionally Mr. Kim and the activists who are to go on trial next month, dropping all charges against them, and not to arrest and imprison innocent people merely because they are promoting improved human rights."
The Mission of the Democratic Party of Vietnam, which was formed inside Vietnam by Hoang Minh Chinh, its first Secretary is, through peaceful means, to secure democracy, human rights, religious freedom and free and fair elections in Vietnam.
Contacts:
Central Executive Committee, Democratic Party of Vietnam
Dr. Ngai
X. Nguyen, Vice Secretary, Overseas Office
1-408-603-5030
ngainguyen@aol.com