(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on French International Aid Minister Pierre-André Wiltzer to raise the case of imprisoned cyber-dissident Pham Que Duong during his visit to Vietnam at the end of February 2004. Pham Que Duong’s trial on a charge of “espionage” is expected to begin in the next few weeks. The former colonel and […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on French International Aid Minister Pierre-André Wiltzer to raise the case of imprisoned cyber-dissident Pham Que Duong during his visit to Vietnam at the end of February 2004.
Pham Que Duong’s trial on a charge of “espionage” is expected to begin in the next few weeks. The former colonel and army historian faces a sentence of life imprisonment.
RSF said Pham Que Duong and his lawyers were given no opportunity to prepare the defence properly. The organisation fears that the trial will be a “complete travesty, as is usually the case with trials of political dissidents in Vietnam.”
Noting that Vietnamese Justice Minister Uong Chu Luu was in France from 8 to 15 February to discuss judicial cooperation with his French counterpart, RSF accused the French authorities, during such bilateral talks, of “turning a blind eye to the parody that passes for justice in Vietnam.”
Pham Que Duong was not given a copy of the charges against him until 3 February. His lawyers and family were allowed to read the charge sheet, but they were not granted permission to make a copy or take notes. The cyber-dissident is currently undergoing tiring interrogation sessions and is liable to be exhausted and unable to defend himself properly when the trial gets underway.
He is charged with “espionage” under Article 80 of the Criminal Code, which is punishable by a sentence of 12 years to life imprisonment. Pham Que Duong is expressly accused of having links to foreign “reactionary” organisations, using the Internet to receive and distribute documents hostile to the communist regime, and working as a correspondent for a Canadian magazine. By that very fact, he is accused of working for American intelligence (Central Intelligence Agency).
Pham Que Duong was arrested on 28 December 2002 following his meeting in Saigon with fellow cyber-dissident Tran Khue, who has also since been detained. A former colonel in the Liberation Army, he and Tran Khue created a group called the Association of Vietnamese Citizens to Help the Party and Government Fight Corruption. In March 2002, he registered himself as a Hanoi district candidate in legislative elections, but his candidacy was rejected by the authorities.
