The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN welcomes the release of editor and Catholic priest Father Nguyen Van Ly on 15 March 2010 on medical grounds. However it remains concerned that his release is conditional, and that he is expected to return to prison in March 2011 to complete his full eight-year prison term. International PEN considers that the sentence against Father Nguyen Van Ly is in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Vietnam is a state party, and continues to call for all charges against him to be dropped.  It also seeks guarantees that he has access to all necessary medical care as a matter of urgency.

According to PEN’s information, on 15 March 2010 the Supreme Judge of the People’s Court on Ha Nam province, decided to temporarily defer Nguyen Van Ly’s imprisonment for one year, and ordered that he should be placed under the administration of the People’s Committee of Vinh Ninh Ward, Hue City, Thua Thien, Hue province. Nguyen Van Ly’s health has seriously deteriorated in recent months, and he is said to be in urgent need of medical treatment which is unavailable in prison.

Father Nguyen Van Ly, a Catholic priest and co-editor of the underground online magazine Tu do Ngôn luan (Free Speech), was arrested on 19 February 2007 and sentenced to eight years in prison on 30 March 2007 for ‘Conducting propaganda against the State’. Nguyen Van Ly is a leading member of the pro-democracy movement "Bloc 8406". He was previously detained from 1977-1978, and again from 1983-1992 for his activism in support of freedom of expression and religion. He was sentenced again in October 2001 to 15 years in prison for his online publication of an essay on human rights violations in Vietnam, and was a main case of International PEN. He was released under amnesty in February 2005 (see previous alerts). He is an Honorary Member of Sydney PEN.

BBC report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8569304.stm 

A video of his trial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUSJeAakoXI 

WiPC latest alert on Nguyen Van Ly: http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/go/news/vietnam-serious-health-concerns-for-two-detained-writers 

Please send appeals:

• Welcoming the release of Father Nguyen Van Ly on health grounds, and calling for his unconditional release in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Vietnam is a state party;
• Seeking assurances that Father Ly is given the medical treatment he requires as a matter of urgency.

Appeals to be sent to:

His Excellency Nguyên Minh Triêt

President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

C/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Hanoi

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Nguyên Tân Dung

Prime Minister

1 Hoang Hoa Tham Street

Hanoi

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Lê Doan Hop

Minister of Culture and Information

1 Hoang Hoa Tham Street

Hanoi

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Please note that there are no fax numbers available for the Vietnamese authorities, so you may wish to ask the diplomatic representative for Vietnam in your country to forward your appeals. It would also be advantageous to ask your country’s diplomatic representatives in Vietnam to intervene in the case.

For some Vietnamese embassies in the world:

http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-of/Vietnam 

***Please contact us if sending appeals after 17 April 2010***

For further information please contact Cathy McCann at International PEN Writers in Prison Committee, Brownlow House, 50/51 High Holborn, London WC1V 6ER, Tel.+ 44 (0) 20 7405 0338, Fax: +44 (0) 20 7405 0339, email: cathy.mccann@internationalpen.org.uk