Nguyễn Tiến Trung
Encyclopedia
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. He was arrested on July 7, 2009 by the public security of Vietnam as alleged for "plotting to overthrow the government of Vietnam", the accusation was persistently rejected domestically and internationally by some of Vietnam analysts such as Pham Hong Son and Carl Thayer.
in 2002, Trung went abroad to attend the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA) in France
in 2002 and earned a Master Degree in Information Technology in 2007. It was during this interval that Trung took an interest in political activism, pushing for greater democracy
in Vietnam.
Tenth Congress, followed by a letter titled “Suggestions from an ordinary student” to the Minister of Education Nguyen Minh Hien, seeking redress in the ideologically overbearing dose of politics in Vietnam's education system. There was no official response.
On May 8, 2006, Nguyễn Tiến Trung officially founded the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy (Tập hợp Thanh niên Dân chủ, THTNDC in Vietnamese, variously translated as "Movement of Democratic Youth" and "Democratic Youth of Vietnam"), calling for students to take part in pushing for political reforms in Vietnam. The goals set forth include disseminating democratic principles, creating a forum for the exchange of political ideas, and organizing for political activism despite the still one-party state in Vietnam.
Taking advantage of the 2006 APEC summit being hosted in Hanoi
, THTNDC gathered signatures in mid 2006 petitioning the APEC leaders directly. Trung himself went to Canada
seeking support from Canadian dignitaries to back the movement and the demand for democratic reforms. Furthermore, Trung met with President George W. Bush
in the US and the members of the European Commission
, enlisting their support.
On December 25, 2006, Nguyen Tien Trung formally submitted his application to the Vietnam Democratic Party, headed by professor Hoang Minh Chinh
and Nguyen Si Binh
(alias: Nguyen Trong Nghia). Trung rose in this organization and was appointed deputy secretary for the party, heading up Youth Affairs.
The THTNDC in the meantime set up a new radio channel for Vietnamese youths in March 2007, broadcasting from Yahoo blog 360, twice weekly in 15–20 minute segments. In its debut broadcast, 7000 listeners tuned in.
Shortly after his return to Vietnam in 2007, Trung was called to present for military service in March 2008. According to his mother, he declined to take the Army's honor oath as he claimed it deviated from the revolutionary spirit set forth by Ho Chi Minh. Trung was dismissed from the military on 6 July 2009 but then arrested the very next day and charged with violating the 88th article of Criminal Code, allegedly for "plotting to overthrow the government of Vietnam".
His arrest followed the detention of two other dissidents, attorney Le Cong Dinh
and Tran Anh Kim, a retired Army officer.
, member of the United States House of Representatives
, officially protested the Vietnamese government's action in jailing the activists.
Political analyst Carl Thayer from the University of New South Wales
noted that charges of subversion are unsubstantiated while the real intent of the Communist authorities is to silence the dissidents.
In connection with Nguyen Tien Trung detention, Reporters Without Borders
, a Paris
-based international non-government organization, has released an official condemnation of the arrest, asserting that while the rest of the world has its attention on protests in Iran
and the riots in Xinjiang
, the Vietnamese Communist government had jailed a number of pro-democracy activists who had spoken out against the state even though their efforts have been peaceful. This would set Vietnam back 10 years in terms of the democratizing process. This was followed by reports that Nguyen Tien Trung was denied access to legal counsel. While in detention Trung is under coercive physical and psychological measures to "confess". The communiqué issued by Reporters Without Borders called on the international community to pressure the Vietnamese government to live up to its signatory status in respecting human rights.
On July 14, The European Union (EU) represented by The EU Troika through the ambassadors of Sweden
, Spain
and The European Commission formally expressed their “grave concern” over the recent arrests of Nguyen Tien Trung and Tran Anh Kim.
Other analysts asserted that the arrests of activists like Nguyen Tien Trung are part of Vietnam's synchronizing its policy with China's current repressive stance in silencing all protest.
On August 2 Nguyen Tien Trung’s supporters protested publicly at the Trocadéro
, Paris
in an attempt to draw more attention toward his detention. Appearing in the campaign, Professor Philippe Echard, a former head of the International Relations Department of INSA, told the BBC
that he, as an educator supervising international relations issues, was extremely concerned over the arrest of Nguyen Tien Trung by the Vietnamese communist government. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of Trung.
and the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy
, pronounced that Trung's confession, along with those of the other dissidents under detention was made under duress. The Vietnamese authorities aired the tape to "prove" Trung's complicity and counter international criticisms of his arrest.
According to a formal announcement of the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy toward the confession tape of Nguyen Tien Trung and the other pro-democracy activists, the Assembly proclaimed the action of filming the defendant, while under investigation, appeared to be an abuse formally forbidden by law. The Assembly steadfastly articulated that no one should seem to be convicted for their crimes before an official verdict has been handed down. The Assembly called on Vietnam's government to respect the democratic processes in the legal proceedings against all of the defendants. The members of the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy have been supporting Nguyen Tien Trung and others arrested for peaceful activism; so far their detentions have not resulted in charges or trial. The Assembly has formally made another appeal to the government for the immediate and unconditional release of the arrested activists, on the grounds of respect for Vietnam's constitution and international conventions.
Trung was sentenced to 7 years of jail, and 3 years probation.
. Thư gửi Bộ trưởng Giáo dục của Nguyễn Tiến Trung, on BBC Dissident’s acts against State published Những kẻ phản động trong số du học sinh on Vietnamese state Daily News Upcoming movement for Nguyen Tien Trung's freedom in Trocadéro Square(Paris) at 3PM on August 2, 2009.Comité pour la libération de Nguyễn Tiến Trung le 2 août 2009 à Paris
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 –...
. As the leader of the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy
Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy
Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy or Democratic Youth Movement is an organization of young Vietnamese worldwide intent on pushing for political freedom in Vietnam...
Trung has been one of the outspoken political dissidents in Vietnam. He was arrested on July 7, 2009 by the public security of Vietnam as alleged for "plotting to overthrow the government of Vietnam", the accusation was persistently rejected domestically and internationally by some of Vietnam analysts such as Pham Hong Son and Carl Thayer.
Background
As a graduate of Ho Chi Minh City University of TechnologyHo Chi Minh City University of Technology
Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology – a member of Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City - still referred to by many as Phu Tho, is the flagship university in technology teaching and research activities in Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City...
in 2002, Trung went abroad to attend the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA) in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 2002 and earned a Master Degree in Information Technology in 2007. It was during this interval that Trung took an interest in political activism, pushing for greater democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
in Vietnam.
Activism
In a bold move in February 2006, he petitioned the Communist Party of VietnamCommunist Party of Vietnam
The Communist Party of Vietnam , formally established in 1930, is the governing party of the nation of Vietnam. It is today the only legal political party in that country. Describing itself as Marxist-Leninist, the CPV is the directing component of a broader group of organizations known as the...
Tenth Congress, followed by a letter titled “Suggestions from an ordinary student” to the Minister of Education Nguyen Minh Hien, seeking redress in the ideologically overbearing dose of politics in Vietnam's education system. There was no official response.
On May 8, 2006, Nguyễn Tiến Trung officially founded the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy (Tập hợp Thanh niên Dân chủ, THTNDC in Vietnamese, variously translated as "Movement of Democratic Youth" and "Democratic Youth of Vietnam"), calling for students to take part in pushing for political reforms in Vietnam. The goals set forth include disseminating democratic principles, creating a forum for the exchange of political ideas, and organizing for political activism despite the still one-party state in Vietnam.
Taking advantage of the 2006 APEC summit being hosted 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...
, THTNDC gathered signatures in mid 2006 petitioning the APEC leaders directly. Trung himself went to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
seeking support from Canadian dignitaries to back the movement and the demand for democratic reforms. Furthermore, Trung met with President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in the US and the members of the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
, enlisting their support.
On December 25, 2006, Nguyen Tien Trung formally submitted his application to the Vietnam Democratic Party, headed by professor Hoang Minh Chinh
Hoàng Minh Chính
Hoàng Minh Chính , also Trần Ngọc Nghiêm, was a Vietnamese politician and dissident. He was one of the best-known figures and ideologists of the Vietnamese Communist Party during the 1960s and held several key governmental positions...
and Nguyen Si Binh
Nguyen Si Binh
Nguyen Si Binh was born in South Vietnam. He is a Vietnamese American and serves as the Chairman of the People's Action Party of Vietnam.Nguyen Si Binh attended the University of Maryland, College Park and graduated with a degree in Nuclear Engineering in 1981.He worked for Bechtel Corporation,...
(alias: Nguyen Trong Nghia). Trung rose in this organization and was appointed deputy secretary for the party, heading up Youth Affairs.
The THTNDC in the meantime set up a new radio channel for Vietnamese youths in March 2007, broadcasting from Yahoo blog 360, twice weekly in 15–20 minute segments. In its debut broadcast, 7000 listeners tuned in.
Shortly after his return to Vietnam in 2007, Trung was called to present for military service in March 2008. According to his mother, he declined to take the Army's honor oath as he claimed it deviated from the revolutionary spirit set forth by Ho Chi Minh. Trung was dismissed from the military on 6 July 2009 but then arrested the very next day and charged with violating the 88th article of Criminal Code, allegedly for "plotting to overthrow the government of Vietnam".
His arrest followed the detention of two other dissidents, attorney Le Cong Dinh
Le Cong Dinh
Le Cong Dinh is a prominent Vietnamese lawyer who sat on the defence of many high profile human rights cases in Vietnam...
and Tran Anh Kim, a retired Army officer.
Vietnamese response
After Trung’s arrest, Vietnamese formed few groups supporting for him such as “Release Nguyen Tien Trung - say 1000's and 1000's of Vietnamese on FB". However the response from this group is not so overwhelming. There are around 1000 people in this group. This group had signed a letter to appeal freedom for him.International response
One day after Trung's arrest, Loretta SanchezLoretta Sanchez
Loretta Sanchez is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 46th, serving since 2003. She is a member of the Democratic Party, and a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. The district lies in central Orange County....
, member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, officially protested the Vietnamese government's action in jailing the activists.
Political analyst Carl Thayer from the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
noted that charges of subversion are unsubstantiated while the real intent of the Communist authorities is to silence the dissidents.
In connection with Nguyen Tien Trung detention, 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...
, a Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
-based international non-government organization, has released an official condemnation of the arrest, asserting that while the rest of the world has its attention on protests in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and the riots in Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
, the Vietnamese Communist government had jailed a number of pro-democracy activists who had spoken out against the state even though their efforts have been peaceful. This would set Vietnam back 10 years in terms of the democratizing process. This was followed by reports that Nguyen Tien Trung was denied access to legal counsel. While in detention Trung is under coercive physical and psychological measures to "confess". The communiqué issued by Reporters Without Borders called on the international community to pressure the Vietnamese government to live up to its signatory status in respecting human rights.
On July 14, The European Union (EU) represented by The EU Troika through the ambassadors of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and The European Commission formally expressed their “grave concern” over the recent arrests of Nguyen Tien Trung and Tran Anh Kim.
Other analysts asserted that the arrests of activists like Nguyen Tien Trung are part of Vietnam's synchronizing its policy with China's current repressive stance in silencing all protest.
On August 2 Nguyen Tien Trung’s supporters protested publicly at the Trocadéro
Trocadéro
The Trocadéro, , site of the Palais de Chaillot, , is an area of Paris, France, in the 16th arrondissement, across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower. The hill of the Trocadéro is the hill of Chaillot, a former village.- Origin of the name :...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in an attempt to draw more attention toward his detention. Appearing in the campaign, Professor Philippe Echard, a former head of the International Relations Department of INSA, told the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
that he, as an educator supervising international relations issues, was extremely concerned over the arrest of Nguyen Tien Trung by the Vietnamese communist government. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of Trung.
Vietnam's Government-published confessing video
In a response to the confession videotape of Nguyen Tien Trung subsequently broadcasted on Vietnam's national television following his arrest, Nguyen Hoang Lan, one of members of the Democratic Party of VietnamDemocratic Party of Vietnam
The Democratic Party of Vietnam was a political party in North Vietnam and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It was founded on 30 July 1944 to unite petty bourgeoisie and intelligentsia. It joined Vietminh. From 1954 to 1975, it was active in North Vietnam and from 1975 to 1988 in the re-unified...
and the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy
Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy
Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy or Democratic Youth Movement is an organization of young Vietnamese worldwide intent on pushing for political freedom in Vietnam...
, pronounced that Trung's confession, along with those of the other dissidents under detention was made under duress. The Vietnamese authorities aired the tape to "prove" Trung's complicity and counter international criticisms of his arrest.
According to a formal announcement of the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy toward the confession tape of Nguyen Tien Trung and the other pro-democracy activists, the Assembly proclaimed the action of filming the defendant, while under investigation, appeared to be an abuse formally forbidden by law. The Assembly steadfastly articulated that no one should seem to be convicted for their crimes before an official verdict has been handed down. The Assembly called on Vietnam's government to respect the democratic processes in the legal proceedings against all of the defendants. The members of the Assembly of Vietnamese Youth for Democracy have been supporting Nguyen Tien Trung and others arrested for peaceful activism; so far their detentions have not resulted in charges or trial. The Assembly has formally made another appeal to the government for the immediate and unconditional release of the arrested activists, on the grounds of respect for Vietnam's constitution and international conventions.
Trial
Trung's trial was held on 20 January 2010 in less than one day. No witness has been heard, and the journalists had to stay outside.Trung was sentenced to 7 years of jail, and 3 years probation.
External links
More pro-democracy activists arrested in Vietnam on Asianews. Vietnam's new dissidents thrive via Internet Two men arrested for anti-state activities Vietnam: More dissidents arrested Carlyle A. Thayer in The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Đài Tiếng nói thanh niên trên blog Yahoo 360 độ. Viet Youth for Democracy Bạn gái Nguyễn Tiến Trung nói anh 'làm đúng', on BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. Thư gửi Bộ trưởng Giáo dục của Nguyễn Tiến Trung, on BBC Dissident’s acts against State published Những kẻ phản động trong số du học sinh on Vietnamese state Daily News Upcoming movement for Nguyen Tien Trung's freedom in Trocadéro Square(Paris) at 3PM on August 2, 2009.Comité pour la libération de Nguyễn Tiến Trung le 2 août 2009 à Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...