SAIGON - After the successful operation against Phap Quyen Law Office, and to pave way for imprisoning the pro-democracy Luat Tran Le and his assistants, especially Ms. Tan Phong Ta, the Vietnamese authorities have subsequently launched several dirty campaigns while the police force also repeatedly detained and questioned Mr. Le and his assistants during the last months.

On 29th April 2009, the Ho Chi Minh city Police Department has illegally detained Mr. Luat Tran Le and Ms. Tan Phong Ta for questioning for more than 17 hours. Following this detain, on 30/04/2009 the police searched Phap Quyen Law Office and confiscated all office equipments and computers after Mr. Le refused “to lend” them his personal Laptop. Computers and equipments confiscated this time are the latest replacement following Mr. Le’s office being ransacked by Police in March this year. They now even cut off Mr. Le’s mobile phone and internet services to make sure that he is isolated from the outside world.

Confiscated items in the morning of 30th April 2009 include files of several legal cases that Mr. Le has been working on. Among these is “Thai Ha”, the legal file of “Ba Giang Lake” of Thai Ha Parish. They assumed that these working legal files are “anti-revolutionary” materials and quickly announced the arrest of Mr. Le for violating Clause 88 of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Laws (“propaganda against the government of Socialist Republic of Vietnam).

After all these incidents as described above, we conclude that:

The Vietnamese authority has repeatedly abused Human rights. It does not respect and abide international conventions that it has joined. Human rights and dignities are not respected, and lawyer’s rights are abused.

Therefore, on behalf of people who loves Justice – Truth – Freedom, we call for unity’s voices from everyone in the world in condemning the Vietnamese authority for detaining Mr. Le and his assistants. The Vietnamese authority must respect its own laws and international laws.

Thank you for your attention.

Saigon, 30th April 2009