CORRESPONDENCE - 85A COMBINED REPORTS OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN VIETNAM 2012

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VIETNAM 13 Court- -with foreign diplomats and journalists excluded - -had upheld the prison sentences. In July authorities returned Roman Catholic priest and activist Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly to prison to complete the remainder of his eight -year prison term for propagandizing against the state. Authorities had arrested him in 2007 in connection with his role in cofounding the Bloc 8406 movement and the Vietnam Progressive Party but had granted him a one -year humanitarian release in March 2010 to seek treatment for a brain tumor following two strokes in 2009 (see also section I.c.). Several other political dissidents affiliated with outlawed political organizations- - including the People's Democratic Party, People's Action Party, Free Vietnam Organization, DPV, United Workers and Farmers Organization, Bloc 8406, and others -- remained in prison or under house arrest in various locations. Authorities also continued to detain and imprison other individuals who used the Internet to publish ideas on human rights, government policies, and political pluralism (see section 2.a., Internet Freedom). Authorities released several persons, including political activists and religious leaders, during the year, including the following: In June authorities released activist and dissident author Tran Khai Thanh Thuy from prison, and she resettled abroad. A Hanoi court had convicted Thuy and her husband, Do Ba Tan, in February 2010 of assault and had sentenced her to three - and- one -half years in prison and him to two years' probation following a 2009 incident in which unidentified individuals attacked them. On July 1, authorities released democracy activist Ngo Quynh, who had been convicted and imprisoned for antistate propagandizing in 2009. In March activist lawyer Nguyen Van Dai completed his 2007 sentence of four years in prison for posting appeals for a multiparty state on the Internet, and authorities released him to begin his sentence of four years' house arrest. In September Pham Ba Hai, leader of the Bach Dang Giang Foundation and a Bloc 8406 member, completed his 2006 sentence of five years in prison for antistate propaganda. At year's end he was serving two years' house arrest.