AP – United Nations experts expressed concern Monday about the safety of imprisoned Vietnamese activists. who began a hunger strike because of the conditions in his detention and called on Hanoi authorities to stop punishing and mistreating rights defenders.
In a statement, 10 UN human rights experts highlighted the plight of Dang Dinh Bac, a lawyer and environmental rights defender. They said they had started their third hunger strike while in detention.
“We are extremely concerned about Buck’s safety and well-being. In addition to discrimination and differential treatment in detention, There were also reports that Buck was attacked and beaten while in custody,” the expert said.
Buck works to inform citizens whose health and livelihoods are threatened by coal projects and other polluting industries. He was arrested in June. 2021 and was sentenced to 5 years in prison for tax evasion.
“We express deep concern at the distressing impact of Buck’s mistreatment and deprivation of his freedom. These are the basic freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression in Vietnam,” the expert statement said.
Experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council but not speaking on behalf of the UN It was pointed out that Buck was being held away from his family. that he had to rely on for food Because he eats vegetarian food
Bac is being held in a wing of Prison No. 6 in Nghe An Province, reserved for political prisoners. He lacks essential items. such as books and hygiene items and were denied access to hot water and traditional medicine.
Experts say communication and visits from family and lawyers are also being restricted. The working group concluded last year that the detention of bugs was illegal. And it was emphasized that Buck was being held incommunicado during his pre-trial detention. and during the trial they were not allowed adequate access to their own lawyers.
Experts stated that Buck shouldn’t have had to start a hunger strike to demand strict law enforcement and prison conditions. and called on the Vietnamese authorities to stop mistreating him.
“Deprivation of freedom and maltreatment in prisons should not be used as a tool by the Vietnamese government to silence human rights defenders and civil society members working on sensitive issues,” the experts said.
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2024-02-14 16:57:00
