September 03, 2010
Scholars at Risk (SAR) is concerned about the arrest and detention of Professor Pham Minh Hoang, a mathematics lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh City Polytechnic Institute. SAR asks for letters, faxes and emails urging authorities to disclose Professor Hoang’s current location, examine the circumstances of Professor Hoang’s detention and, pending his release, ensure his access to medical care, family and legal counsel. Scholars at Risk is an international network of universities and colleges dedicated to promoting academic freedom and to defending the human rights of scholars worldwide. Scholars at Risk invites interventions on behalf of scholars suffering the most serious threats to their academic freedom or their exercise of their fundamental human rights including, as in this case, detention without charge and incarceration in an undisclosed location.
Professor Hoang is a lecturer of mathematics at Ho Chi Minh City Polytechnic Institute. Scholars at Risk has learned that Professor Hoang was arrested on August 13, 2010 on charges of participating in a banned opposition political group, the Viet Tan. According to media reports, the arrest followed the interrogation two days earlier of Professor Hoang and his wife at a police station in Ho Chi Minh City, where they were questioned on their alleged affiliations with the Viet Tan, allegations Professor Hoang’s wife denies. Scholars at Risk understands that Professor Hoang was taken to an undisclosed location where he has been since held without access to family or his lawyer.
Professor Hoang’s arrest raises concerns of retaliation against a scholar for the peaceful exercise of fundamental rights of free expression and association, which are guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Vietnam is party.
Scholars at Risk therefore joins with the many national and international academic associations, human rights organizations and individual scholars that respectfully urge that the government of Vietnam examine the circumstances of Professor Hoang’s detention and disclose his location. SAR urges authorities to intervene to ensure his well-being including ensuring immediate and regular access to legal counsel of his choosing, to family and to any necessary medical treatment. Given the public reports surrounding Professor Hoang’s detention, we further urge authorities to explain publicly the reasons for his detention or absent this, to arrange for his earliest release.
Scholars at Risk invites letters, emails and faxes be sent:
- respectfully calling on the authorities to examine the circumstances of Professor Hoang’s detention and to disclose his location;
- respectfully calling on authorities to intervene to ensure his well-being including ensuring immediate and regular access to legal counsel of his choosing, to family and to any necessary medical treatment; and
- given the public reports surrounding Professor Hoang’s detention, respectfully urging authorities to explain publicly the reasons for his detention or absent this, to arrange for his earliest release.
PLEASE WRITE TO:
Nguyen Minh Triet
President
Office of the President
35 Ngo Quyen
Ha Noi
Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Email: banbientap@mofa.gov.vn (c/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
COPIES TO:
Truong Vinh Trong
Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Amnesty Advisory Council
Prime Minister’s Office
Hoang Hoa Tham
Ha Noi
Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Le Hong Anh
Minister of Public Security
Ministry of Public Security
44 Yiet Kieu
Hoan Kiem
Ha Noi
Viet Nam
Fax: + 844 8260774
The Honorable _________
Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to [YOUR COUNTRY]
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]
(See http://www.mofa.gov.vn/en/bng_vietn… for a list of Vietnamese embassies worldwide.)
The Honorable _________
Ambassador of [YOUR COUNTRY] to the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]
Scholars at Risk
New York University
194 Mercer St., 4th floor
New York, NY 10012 USA
Fax: +1 212 995-4402
scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu
To view a copy of SAR’s letter of appeal, please visit our website: www.scholarsatrisk.org.
http://scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu/Events-News/Article-Detail.php?art_uid=2304
