Senator Alain Destexhe’s written questions to Mr. Steven Vanackere, Minister of Foreign Affairs
SUBJECT : Recent conviction of a human rights activist in Vietnam
Dear Minister,
Vietnam is undoubtedly an emerging power that gain profit from globalization. In recent years, the country has experienced various positive changes, multiplying by four its per capita income within the past fifteen years while controlling fertility and decreasing half of the infantile malnutrition rate.
This encouraging picture is regrettably weakened by the political regime of this country.
The country still indeed remains a “socialist” republic, which implies a series of absolutely unacceptable violations of the most elementary civil and political rights. In addition, human rights activists are subject to severe repression from the authorities of Hanoi and are often severely sentenced when trying to freely express their opinion as to political freedom in their own country. Thus, several activists were severely sentenced during last January, in particular for “attempting to overthrow the regime”.
Among these human rights activists, Ms. Tran Khai Thanh Thuy was sentenced to three and a half years in prison on 5 February after being detained since 8 October 2009 at the Hoa Lu penitentiary in Hanoi. Ms. Tran had already been detained in the same prison for nine months in 2007 under the charge that she had written essays promoting freedom of expression in Vietnam.
Ms. Tran is a writer, honorary member of PEN UK, recipient of the 2007 Human Rights Watch Hellman/Hammett Award as well as of the 2009 Vietnamese Human Rights Award.
The conditions of her trial and detention clearly contravene with the rights and freedoms enshrined in several international instruments to which Vietnam is a signatory, among which the Covenant of the United Nations relating to civil and political rights.
In addition, despite the fact that she suffers from tuberculosis and diabetes, Ms. Tran has been denied the medical attention that she desperately needs. I am therefore extremely concerned about Ms. Tran’s health and the conditions in which she is being detained.
Monsieur le Ministre, my questions are hence e as follows:
- Do you intend to urge that the Vietnamese government allow Ms. Tran to have family visits and access to all necessary care and medication?
- Do you not think that it would be appropriate to include this issue on the agenda of the EU-Vietnam discussions relating to human rights as well as in our bilateral relations?
Thank you.
Alain Destexhe
Senator
