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| Bà Vũ Minh Khánh (bên trái) |
Vu Minh
Khanh hasn’t seen or heard from her husband Nguyen Van Dai, since police
arrested him in December 2015. This is her story.
I am not an activist. Before my husband’s arrest, I
was volunteering at our church in Hanoi. Because of his arrest, I am forced to
fight for his freedom.
My husband was arrested at our home on 16 December
2015. He was just about to leave for a meeting with European Union
representatives about human rights in Viet Nam, when he was taken away to an
unknown address. Half an hour later, about 30 security officers escorted him
back home. They had a search warrant, and stormed our house without warning.
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| Luật sư Nguyễn Văn Đài |
They said they were arresting Dai for “conducting
propaganda against the State,” but they gave us no evidence. They confiscated
books on human rights and anything that had human rights logos on it. They took
his computers, USB sticks, cameras, phone, and even videos and CDs containing
teachings on our Protestant faith.
There is no easy way to describe how it feels to have
30 people bombard your house like that. They even forbade us from talking to
each other without their permission. I was in complete shock.
Teaching others to
understand their rights
My husband used no weapons; he has always carried out
his activities in a non-violent way. In his writing, Dai never called for an
uprising to overthrow the Vietnamese government.
All his activities are for freedom of religion,
freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. He wrote articles about the rule of
law to help others understand their rights. He also devoted much of his time to
helping victims who had lost their homes or their land.
He has done nothing to threaten society or national
security, yet he has been detained incommunicado – with no contact with his
family or the lawyers we hired.
Not his first arrest
This is not the first time they took my husband. He
was first arrested in 2007. His lawyers were only granted permission to
represent him seven days before the day of the trial itself. He did not have a
fair or open trial.
I spent the first two years of his imprisonment
writing over 100 petitions and complaints. I sent them to the President, Prime
Minister, Secretary General, National Assembly leaders, various Ministries as
well as to news outlets. I received no response.
This time around, I was not willing to wait for the
Vietnamese government to respond. I needed to take action as he now faces
between three and 20 years in jail. So, I’ve turned to the international
community for support.
Viet Nam is trying to build its relationships
internationally, especially with US President Obama coming at the end of May.
Pressure from the USA is important, but it is crucial that other countries also
put pressure on Viet Nam to improve its human rights record. The more countries
speak up in unity, the more Viet Nam will feel compelled to change.
Attacked, followed, bugged
Dai and I were constantly under surveillance. There
was always a camera in front of our house and people outside waiting for us.
On 6 December 2015, my husband led a human rights
training course in Nghe An Province, about 300km from our home in Hanoi. I was
on edge, as I always was when he left for meetings like these, because I never
knew what might happen to him. During the training course, security officers
tried to force my husband to stop, but he refused, instead inviting them to
join the meeting.
Dai and three of his colleagues were heading home
afterward when they were cornered and beaten by approximately 10 masked men.
The men attacked them with sticks and batons, then threw Dai into a car and
drove him to a location 30km away, beating and choking him throughout.
It was winter, but they removed his coat, stole his
wallet, and left him on an isolated beach. When my husband was finally able to
call his friends for help, the police continued to chase after him. He escaped
into the jungle and through small alleyways. With the help of his friends, he
returned to Hanoi. Ten days later, with his wounds not yet healed, Dai was
arrested and has been detained since.
Life companion lost
I agree with my husband’s activism because I know it
is necessary and that it is the path he has chosen. But it worries me and
emotionally, it has taken a toll.
Our family only consists of my husband and me. With my
husband gone, I have lost my companion in life. The neighbors who are
sympathetic to his cause are too afraid to share their sympathies and those who
do not support his activities continue to judge us. It is heartbreaking that he
has to endure so much pain and suffering for his activities.
Dai is a considerate, fair, and kind man. He always
wanted to help others and goes out of his way to do so. My husband is concerned
for and watches over other activists. His heart always wants to continue
fighting for his people and for a better future for those in Viet Nam.
Guy Castéran
76, boulevard de la Villette
75940 Paris Cedex 19
75940 Paris Cedex 19