“Before being held in the detention centre, my husband’s health was good enough for him to stand up, walk and hear, but from the day he was imprisoned his health has deteriorated to the point where he is unable to walk. At the trial, two security officers had to assist him with walking, they had to lift him up to sit him on a chair. At times, either he could not hear what the judge asked, for often he did not know whether the judge was interrogating him, or he was also too weak to answer the court’s questions. During this, the only attendants allowed in the court were my two children and I; my husband Ngo Hao was escorted by more than 30 security officers in uniform not including the plain-clothed security force…” - Nguyen Thi Kim Lan
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To:
- General Secretary of United Nation, Mr Banki Mon
- President of The United States of America, Mr Barack Obama and Governments of other Democratic Countries worldwide
- President of the United States Senate, President of the United States House of Representatives, Presidents in the Parliament of other Democratic Countries worldwide
- The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)
- The United States Ambassador to Vietnam
- Human Rights Organizations of the World
- Media Agencies worldwide
- Overseas Vietnamese Communities
- Hoà Hảo Buddhism Overseas Executive Board
- National and International Broadcasting Agencies, RFA, VOA, BBC, and RFI
Dear Sirs/Madams
I am Nguyen Thi Kim Lan, born 1957
Residing in 17/6 Nguyen Trai, 5th Ward, Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province, Vietnam.
Contact details as +84-122-660-6052 and e-mail: trung.hieu.dao2010@gmail.com .
I am writing this letter today as a voice for my husband Ngo Hao. I am seeking help for his case from the National and International Broadcasting Agencies and any other organizations that support the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Yesterday, on the 11th of September, 2013, my husband was put to trial. He was accused of “Carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the People’s Government”. The court accused him so: Ngo Hao has repeatedly collected, stored, written articles, spread and posted propaganda against the state. He has distorted the image of the regime, defamed leaders and promoted the Jasmine Revolution in a non-violent way.
Before being held in the detention centre, my husband’s health was good enough for him to stand up, walk and hear, but from the day he was imprisoned his health has deteriorated to the point where he is unable to walk. At the trial, two security officers had to assist him with walking, they had to lift him up to sit him on a chair. At times, either he could not hear what the judge asked, for often he did not know whether the judge was interrogating him, or he was also too weak to answer the court’s questions. During this, the only attendants allowed in the court were my two children and I; my husband Ngo Hao was escorted by more than 30 security officers in uniform not including the plain-clothed security force.
During the trial session neither my family nor my husband were allowed any defense. The court and the procuracy were imposing in the extreme, silencing us each time we attempted to defend ourselves. At the conclusion of the trial my husband could only say "My actions were not wrong. What is wrong is the law’s failure to recognise this!"
I see no wrongdoing in my husband’s work. My husband raised his voice to support oppressed individuals such as Mr Nguyen Van Lia, member of the Hoà Hảo Buddhism Board. He worked to seek aid in securing the names of 14 prisoners of conscience of Hoa Hao Buddhism on the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention list. For his humanitarian work, the regime has attacked my husband, accusing him of fabricating lies and slander against the regime, and wishing to overthrow the “People’s Government”. For this, they have sentenced him to 15 years in prison and 5 years under house arrest. He is already 65 years old.
Today I'm writing this letter to all of you, hoping that national and international organizations will intervene, and offer us some legal help. Such help is vital in regaining the most basic civil rights in a country purportedly of “Independence - Freedom”.
Phu Yen, 12th of September, 2013
Nguyễn Thị Kim Lan
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