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

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In addition to binding laws meant to restrict religious activities, the government also abuses the notorious articles 79, 87, 88, and 89 of the 2009 Criminal Code 14 to prosecute religious freedom activists: - On 13 December 2011 , Mr. Nguyen Van Lia and Mr. Tran Hoai An of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church were sentenced in An Giang to 5 and 3 years in prison, respectively, pursuant to Art. 258 of the Criminal Code, for the so- called "abuse of democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and /or citizens." - On 10 November 2011, two Vietnamese Falun Gong practitioners Vu Due Trung and Le Van Thanh, after 17 months in detention, were sentenced to 2 and 3 years in prison respectively for their alleged "illegal use of information in computer networks," pursuant to Art. 226 of the Criminal Code. The pair had set up the Sound of Hope radio station to broadcast toward China to report on human rights abuses, corruption, and repression of Falun Gong practitioners and other persecuted groups. - On 28 April 2011, Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh was arrested for allegedly "undermining the national unity policy" pursuant to Art. 87 of the Criminal Code. He is still being prevented from seeing members of his family since his arrest more than 10 months ago. 14 Art. 79: Carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people's administration; Art. 87: Undermining the unity policy; Art. 88: Conducting propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; and Art. 89: Disrupting security. Vietnam Human Rights Network * Annual Report 2011 Furthermore, to limit the activities and influences of religious organizations, the government resorts to the 2003 Land Law to permanently take away the churches' properties including schools, infirmaries, and social services offices. The forceful confiscation of the Thai Ha Redemptorists' properties in Hanoi was the most disturbing event in the year 2011. 2. Organizational Control To facilitate its control of religious organizations, the CPV has, for many years, shown itself especially concerned about the personnel in leading positions in various religious organizations. In 2011, besides elevating the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, a disguised religious police force, with the assignment of Mr. Nguyen Thai Binh, a member of the CPV Central Committee, to lead it in the capacity of a deputy minister, 15 the communist authorities kept requiring all religious organizations to "register activities," and issuing "certificates" to them. Religious activities such as training sessions, spiritual retreats, processions, etc., must all have previous permission before they can proceed. The communist government continues its "Divide and conquer" policy with all religions. To each religion, there is always a "state- imposed committee" under the permanent supervision of the "Fatherland Front" to coordinate activities "in compliance with the official policy of the regime." As for Buddhism, the government only recognizes the state -run Buddhist Church of Vietnam, while outlawing the 15 Update: On 08 February 2012 Mr Nguyen Thai Binh was replaced by Police Lieutenant General Pham Dung, head of the General Department of Security II, as head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs. 19