VN has no so-called “prisoners of conscience”

Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.

Hang stressed the point at the Ministry’s press briefing today as she was asked about Viet Nam’s reaction to some human rights organizations’ condemnation of the trial of six defendants who have been accused of carrying out “activities that aim to overthrow the people’s administration.”

This morning, a court in Ha Noi opened trial of the accused, namely Nguyen Van Dai (born in 1969, Ha Noi), Pham Van Troi (1972, Ha Noi), Nguyen Trung Ton (1972, Thanh Hoa province), Nguyen Bac Truyen (1968, Ho Chi Minh City), Truong Minh Duc (1960, Kien Giang province), and Le Thu Ha (1982, Quang Tri province).

According to the indictment of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, from March 2013 to July 2017, Nguyen Van Dai, Pham Van Troi, Nguyen Trung Ton and Nguyen Bac Truyen initiated and established the “Hoi anh em dan chu” (Brotherhood for Democracy) organization. They built the organization’s platform, statutes and regulations and also steered its activities.

Like other countries, in Viet Nam all acts that violate law shall be strictly punished, Hang said.

Hang went on to say that it is Viet Nam’s consistent policy to ensure and promote human rights in accordance with the country’s Constitution and laws as well as international conventions on human rights to which Viet Nam is a signatory.

Viet Nam’s efforts and achievements in human rights have been widely recognized by the international community, Hang stated./.

By Quang Minh