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The arrest of Pham Hong Son is the most recent act of suppression of the Vietnam Communist authorities imposed on a dissident in Vietnam.
Pham Hong Son 35 years old, a doctor, is working for the pharmaceutical firm TradewinAsia in Hanoi, in charge of its marketing management for northern Vietnam. On March 27, 2002, Public Security searched his home then arrested him without informing his family reasons for the detention. The Communist cops did not show out any search or arrest warrants as stated in Hanoi's criminal laws and related stipulations.
In February 2002, Son was translating an English text "What is Democracy" into Vietnamese. He downloaded it from the home page of the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi. Shortly afterwards, he endorsed the plan to broaden democracy at local government level decreed by VCP General Secretary Nong Duc Manh. He wrote the article "Happy Signs of Democracy in Vietnam." He sent copies of the article to Nong Duc Manh and the Hanoi-controlled media.
On June 20, his wife Vu Thuy Ha, address 72 Thuy Khue Street, Tay Ho, Hanoi, submitted a complaint about his arrest to all top leaders of the Communist Party and its government. In the letter, she asserts that her husband has not done anything illegal.
She said that in the evening after he was arrested, a Public Security lieutenant–colonel called her up and asked her to calm down and especially to keep the arrest a secret. In the week that followed, she received no paper confirming her husband's arrest, his violations, their seriousness, or where he was detained.
Not until April 6, did she receive an official letter # 251/ANST signed by Nguyen Ngoc Thuan, deputy chief for the investigation department, Ministry of Public Security, stating that Son had been temporarily taken into custody. According to the letter, Son has been collecting classified information and materials and handing them over to foreigners for activities against the Communist regime.
Vu Thuy Ha says in her letter, "So far, I have not been notified about my husband's temporary detention and for how long... My husband is a doctor graduated from Hanoi Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in 1992, and is working at a foreign pharmaceutical company. I strongly believe that my husband is in no capacity to obtain the so-called "state secrets" to engage in espionage, deliberately or not."
She contends that her husband is a patriot who is always worrying about the fortunes of his country. Therefore, he wants to contribute his appropriate part to the Party's effort in a moderate manner by his articles, and to exchange views with his friends... She asserts that her husband's deeds are not in the nature of agitation or instigation, not violating the Constitution and laws. On the contrary, what he does is to manifest patriotism and duty to the country.
She argues in here letter that the detention of her husband on March 27, 2002 has contravened the Hanoi Constitution, specifically its Article 71. (*)
Mrs. Pham Hong Son also complains about surreptitious actions of the Public Security department of investigation. "Why do they arrest my husband without any warrants by the People's Court or the People's Office of Supervision and Control? Why do they have to ask me to keep the arrest secret even to my close relatives?" she asks.
She demands that her husband be released and his full rights of an innocent citizen be restored.
Pham Hong Son's arrest is conducted with standard procedures of the Public Security in every searching and arresting any suspect, criminal or political. It's not uncommon when cops search a home with a warrant in a signed blank form so that they could fill the blank with whatever they want. It should be noticed also that under the Vietnam Communist regime, people couldn't tell what is considered "state secret."
Soldiers' pay scale or monthly salary is a secret.
The Communist regime in Vietnam is having a constitution and all laws with clauses as those in any democratic country. But its law enforcement is up to the decision of the Party committee at central and local levels. The simple rule is:
When the case may lead to unfavorable consequences to the Communist Party, responsible authorities may act at their will, disregarding the Constitution or laws, let alone agreements with foreign countries or foreign investors.
Party authorities in different provinces and districts may act differently on similar cases, even not conforming to central directives.
Pham Hong Son's arrest once more proves that Hanoi still relies on heavy-handed crackdown on dissidents. Most Vietnamese people don't expect better human rights and religious records in Vietnam unless much higher international pressure, especially from the U.S. Congress, is applied against Hanoi leadership.
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(*) From Hanoi's official translation of its 1992 Constitution:
Article 71
The citizen shall enjoy inviolability of the person and the protection of the
law with regard to his life, health, honor and dignity.
No one can be arrested in the absence of a ruling by the People's
Court, a ruling or sanction of the People's Office of Supervision and Control
except in case of flagrant offenses. Taking a person into, or holding him in,
custody must be done with full observance of the law.
It is strictly forbidden to use all forms of harassment and
coercion, torture, violation of his honor and dignity, against a citizen.
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