Call on the Vietnamese authorities to release Trung

Trung's trial will take place in the next few weeks. Trung has recently been charged with attempting to overthrow the state and faces the death penalty.

Therefore, Amnesty International calls to write to the Vietnamese authorities as soon as possible to call for Trung's release, as well as Le Cong Dinh and Tran Anh Kim's.

If you wish to take part in this urgent action, write to the Prime Minister of Vietnam, as well as to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, following the instructions of Amnesty International.

You can use as a basis the following model of letter:


Dear Prime Minister / Dear Minister

I am deeply concerned with the fact that the prisoners of conscience Le Cong Dinh, Nguyen Tien Trung and Tran Anh Kim have been charged under Article 79 of the Penal Code, which can carry the death penalty, solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression. Therefore, I ask you to release them immediately and unconditionally, and drop all charges against them.

Moreover, I ask you to ensure that they are allowed access to their families, and lawyers, and are provided with any medical attention they may require.

Finally, I ask you to either repeal or amend provisions in the 1999 Penal Code which criminalize peaceful political dissent.

Yours sincerely,


Addresses

Prime Minister
Nguyen Tan Dung
Government Office
1 Hoang Hoa Tham St.
Ba Dinh district, Ha Noi
Viet Nam
Fax: + 8443 804 4130
Email: vpcp@chinhphu.vn
Salutation: Dear Prime Minister

Minister of Foreign Affairs
Pham Gia Khiem
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1 Ton That Dam Street
Ba Dinh district, Ha Noi
Viet Nam
Fax: + 8443 823 1872
Email: bc.mfa@mofa.gov.vn
Salutation: Dear Minister

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country.

Feel free to use all the mediums of communication, i.e., mail, e-mail and fax.
Please send appeals as soon as possible, and in any case before 8 February 2010.

Don't forget you can also send New Year postcards to the prison where Trung is detained.

Thank you for your support to Trung!