Le Cong Dinh
Encyclopedia
Le Cong Dinh is a prominent Vietnamese lawyer
who sat on the defence of many high profile human rights
cases in Vietnam
. He was critical of bauxite mining
in the central highlands of Vietnam., and was arrested by the Vietnamese government on June 13, 2009 on charges of "national security", though the arrest was met by the international community with strong objections. Le Cong Dinh is one of Amnesty International
's prisoners of conscience.
at Tulane University
as a Fulbright scholar and received his master of law degree from Tulane in 2000.
In 2003, Dinh worked for a local law firm called YKVN, which is contracted to provide local assisting services for White&Case LLP, as US-based lawfirm that was appointed to represent VASEP (Vietnam Association of Seafoods Export Processors) an industrial association that represent Vietnamese catfish farmers in a trade dispute in the US Department of Commerce. White&Case failed to win this case against the US catfish farmers and Vietnamese fish farmers was slapped with hight dumping tax
Just prior to his arrest, Dinh was a defense lawyer for high-profile democracy and religious freedom activists, and was known for publicly supporting famous Vietnamese political dissidents including Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan, and Nguyen Hoang Hai (known as Dieu Cay.)
Deputy Director General Department of Security Vu Hai Trieu announced that lot of documents and conspiracy evidences had confiscated which indicate the attempt to overthrow the state of Vietnam by lawyer Dinh.
Ironically the arrest came a week after President Nguyen Minh Triet vowed in front of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers in Hanoi
that the government respects and supports progressive lawyers and that it will criticize those who "trample democracy and human rights."
On December 24, 2009, Dinh was charged with "attempts to overthrow the state", after being initially charged with "spreading anti-government propaganda
".
On January 20, 2010, he was convicted and sentenced to 5 years in prison for subversion. His co-defendants, Nguyễn Tiến Trung
, Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức and Lê Thang Long received sentences from 7 to 16 years.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) describes Dinh as a “peaceful human rights defender” and released a statement that "The arrest of Le Cong Dinh demonstrates a disturbing but familiar pattern. Peaceful advocates for religious freedom and related human rights are intimidated, harassed, and jailed. Le Cong Dinh’s arrest demonstrates that no human rights, including the freedom of religion, are secure in Vietnam.”
A statement on the United States
Department of State website reads "Vietnam's arrest of Mr. Dinh contradicts the government's own commitment to internationally-accepted standards of human rights and to the rule of law. We urge the Government of Vietnam to release Mr. Dinh immediately and unconditionally, as well as all other prisoners in detention for peacefully expressing their views."
Referencing President Nguyen Minh Triet's address the week prior, The Human Rights Watch
's Asia director called "this arrest makes a mockery of the president's lofty words. It tells other lawyers and human rights defenders just what they can expect if they dare to speak out."
The International Bar Association
's (IBA's) Human Rights Institute calls the arrest "arbitrary" and expressed concern in a letter to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung "that the arrest could be linked to the fact that Mr Le Cong Dinh has expressed critical views on the Vietnamese government".
Viet Tan
, the Vietnam Reform Party, released a statement calling for "a release of attorney Le Cong Dinh and other political prisoners who have been in jail or were recently detained."
On 17 June 2009, Amnesty International
, who granted Le Cong Dinh with the status of prisoner of conscience, issued a statement calling the authorities to release him immediately and to "either repeal or amend provisions in the 1999 Penal Code which criminalize peaceful political dissent".
Reporters Without Borders
and IFEX
have also called for the immediate release of lawyer Le Cong Dinh.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who sat on the defence of many high profile human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
cases in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. He was critical of bauxite mining
Bauxite mining in Vietnam
According to the United States Geological Survey, Vietnam is estimated to hold the world's third-largest bauxite ore reserves, after Guinea and Australia. The majority of Vietnam's reserves are located in the Central Highlands and have only been minimally mined. Bauxite is typically strip mined...
in the central highlands of Vietnam., and was arrested by the Vietnamese government on June 13, 2009 on charges of "national security", though the arrest was met by the international community with strong objections. Le Cong Dinh is one of Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
's prisoners of conscience.
Life before arrest
Dinh studied law at Hanoi Law School and Saigon University. He studied in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
as a Fulbright scholar and received his master of law degree from Tulane in 2000.
In 2003, Dinh worked for a local law firm called YKVN, which is contracted to provide local assisting services for White&Case LLP, as US-based lawfirm that was appointed to represent VASEP (Vietnam Association of Seafoods Export Processors) an industrial association that represent Vietnamese catfish farmers in a trade dispute in the US Department of Commerce. White&Case failed to win this case against the US catfish farmers and Vietnamese fish farmers was slapped with hight dumping tax
Just prior to his arrest, Dinh was a defense lawyer for high-profile democracy and religious freedom activists, and was known for publicly supporting famous Vietnamese political dissidents including Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan, and Nguyen Hoang Hai (known as Dieu Cay.)
Arrest and charges
On June 13, 2009 police from the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Security Agency raided Le Cong Dinh's law offices. He was arrested on "national security charges" under article 88 of Vietnam's criminal code ("conducting propaganda against the government"). Since his arrest, his current location and condition is unknown.Deputy Director General Department of Security Vu Hai Trieu announced that lot of documents and conspiracy evidences had confiscated which indicate the attempt to overthrow the state of Vietnam by lawyer Dinh.
Ironically the arrest came a week after President Nguyen Minh Triet vowed in front of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
that the government respects and supports progressive lawyers and that it will criticize those who "trample democracy and human rights."
On December 24, 2009, Dinh was charged with "attempts to overthrow the state", after being initially charged with "spreading anti-government propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
".
On January 20, 2010, he was convicted and sentenced to 5 years in prison for subversion. His co-defendants, Nguyễn Tiến Trung
Nguyễn Tiến Trung
Nguyễn Tiến Trung , is a pro-democracy activist in Vietnam. As the leader of the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy Trung has been one of the outspoken political dissidents in Vietnam...
, Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức and Lê Thang Long received sentences from 7 to 16 years.
International response
Numerous governments and organizations have condemned the arrest and demanded Le Cong Dinh's immediate release.The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) describes Dinh as a “peaceful human rights defender” and released a statement that "The arrest of Le Cong Dinh demonstrates a disturbing but familiar pattern. Peaceful advocates for religious freedom and related human rights are intimidated, harassed, and jailed. Le Cong Dinh’s arrest demonstrates that no human rights, including the freedom of religion, are secure in Vietnam.”
A statement on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Department of State website reads "Vietnam's arrest of Mr. Dinh contradicts the government's own commitment to internationally-accepted standards of human rights and to the rule of law. We urge the Government of Vietnam to release Mr. Dinh immediately and unconditionally, as well as all other prisoners in detention for peacefully expressing their views."
Referencing President Nguyen Minh Triet's address the week prior, The Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
's Asia director called "this arrest makes a mockery of the president's lofty words. It tells other lawyers and human rights defenders just what they can expect if they dare to speak out."
The International Bar Association
International Bar Association
The International Bar Association is an international association of lawyers and lawyers' associations. The IBA's stated purpose is to promote an exchange of information between legal associations worldwide, support the independence of the judiciary and the right of lawyers to practice their...
's (IBA's) Human Rights Institute calls the arrest "arbitrary" and expressed concern in a letter to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung "that the arrest could be linked to the fact that Mr Le Cong Dinh has expressed critical views on the Vietnamese government".
Viet Tan
Viet Tan
Việt Tân is a network of members inside Vietnam and around the world, that aims to establish democracy and reform Vietnam through peaceful and political means.The organization has its origins in the National United Front for the Freedom of Vietnam , founded on September 10,...
, the Vietnam Reform Party, released a statement calling for "a release of attorney Le Cong Dinh and other political prisoners who have been in jail or were recently detained."
On 17 June 2009, Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, who granted Le Cong Dinh with the status of prisoner of conscience, issued a statement calling the authorities to release him immediately and to "either repeal or amend provisions in the 1999 Penal Code which criminalize peaceful political dissent".
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
and IFEX
International Freedom of Expression Exchange
The International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....
have also called for the immediate release of lawyer Le Cong Dinh.