[huridocs-tech] Vietnam: Authorities harass cyber-dissident Do Nam Hai

RSF Press release
21 December 2004

Reporters Without Borders today hailed the courage of Vietnamese
cyber-dissident Do Nam Hai in daring to openly criticise the authorities in
articles posted on the Internet, and condemned the harassment he has
received in recent months, including two days of arrest and interrogation
on several occasions.

"Do Nam Hai has chosen to express his convictions despite the risks he
runs," the organisation said. "His courage is remarkable in a country where
any questioning of the regime can lead straight to prison, and we call on
the Vietnamese authorities to stop harassing him and thereby show they
respect free expression."

A banker now residing in Ho Chi Minh City, Do Nam Hai lived for a while in
Australia where he wrote five articles under the nom de plume of Phuong Nam
that were posted on the websites Dan chim viet (www.danchimviet.com) and
Mang y kien (www.ykien.net).

The articles were entitled : "Vietnam, my country" (2000), "Reforms in
Vietnam" (2001), "Reflections on the reevaluation" (2001), "On President Ho
Chi Minh" (2001) and "Further reflections on the reevaluation" (2001). In
one of them, he asked the government to hold a referendum on whether
Vietnam should adopt the multi-party system.

Despite his use of a nom de plume, the authorities harassed after his
return to Vietnam in early 2002. He was arrested and held for two days in
August 2004. He said he was also questioned a dozen times by the police,
usually in public places. Two month being interviewed by the US-operated
Radio Free Asia in October, the police searched his home, took his computer
and told him he would only be able to recover it "after the information on
it has been erased." He says the police also read his e-mail.

He complained about the harassment in an open letter to the Communist Party
Central Committee on 10 December, saying : "This is correct. I have written
all those articles. I was pushed to write and publish them because of my
love for my country. In want to contribute a little to the cause of
democracy in Vietnam." He also reiterated his call for a referendum on
Vietnam's political system.

Four cyber-dissidents are currently in prison in Vietnam : Dr. Nguyen Dan
Que, former journalist Nguyen Vu Binh, Dr. Pham Hong Son and businessman
Nguyen Khac Toan.


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