Vietnamese authorities arrested Hoat and seven other contributors to Freedom Forum in late 1990, and convicted them in March 1993 of attempting to overthrow the government. Three of the detainees were subsequently released, including two -- Nguyen Thieu Hung and Pham Thai Thuy -- who remain under government surveillance. The other five, including Hoat, are currently serving sentences ranging from four to 15 years.
Imprisoned in a separate case is Nguyen Dan Que, who received a 20-year jail term in November 1991 for distributing political handbills and sending documents abroad. CPJ conferred upon Hoat one of its annual International Press Freedom Awards in November 1993. The award was presented by CPJ board member Terry Anderson at a ceremony in New York by Hoat's son Long Doan, who lives in the United States along with Hoat's wife, brother and two younger sons.
Based in New York, CPJ is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of journalists that monitors and defends press freedom worldwide.
A list of the journalists imprisoned in Vietnam follows.
Doan Viet Hoat Imprisoned: Nov. 17, 1990 Hoat, editor and publisher of Freedom Forum, was sentenced to 20 years of hard labor in late March 1993 for his involvement with the publication. He is currently serving out his sentence, lowered to 15 years on appeal, in Thanh Cam prison. Located in northern Vietnam, near the Laotian border, Thanh Cam is normally reserved for serious criminal offenders. Hoat, who is being held in isolation, suffers from kidney stones -- a condition that developed during his previous twelve-year incarceration.
Pham Duc Kham Imprisoned: Late 1990 Kham was sentenced to 16 years in prison in late March 1993 for his involvement with Freedom Forum. His sentence was reduced on appeal to 12 years. Kham was reportedly transferred in late October 1994 from Xuan Phuoc labor camp to Thanh Cam prison, where Doan Viet Hoat is also incarcerated.
Nguyen Van Thuan (Chau Son) Imprisoned: Late 1990 Thuan was sentenced to 12 years in prison in late March 1993 for his involvement with Freedom Forum. His sentence was reduced on appeal to eight years. Thuan suffered a stroke on Feb. 15, 1994, that left him partially paralyzed. Due to his poor health, Thuan was transferred to the National Center for Heart and Neurology in Ho Chi Minh City, where he is currently being held.
Le Duc Vuong Imprisoned: Late 1990 Vuong was sentenced in late March 1993 to seven years in prison for his involvement with Freedom Forum. His sentence was reduced on appeal to five years. Vuong is presently interned in Xuan Phuoc labor camp.
Nguyen Xuan Dong Sentenced: March 1993 Dong was sentenced in late March 1993 to four years in prison for his involvement with Freedom Forum. Dong, 70, is reportedly in poor health.
Nguyen Dan Que Sentenced: November 1991 Que, sentenced to 20 years in prison in November 1991 on charges of compiling and distributing subversive literature, had distributed political handbills and sent documents abroad. Que, who suffers from hypertension and a bleeding gastric ulcer, is currently being held in isolation at the Xuan Loc labor camp in Dong Nai province.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vikram Parekh, CPJ Program Coordinator for Asia (212)465-9344, x109
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