Take action for poet Tran Duc Thach

Who is Tran Duc Thach?

Tran Duc Thach is an author, poet, and veteran of the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN). Since the end of the war, Thach has published poems and articles which criticize Vietnam’s record on human rights and corruption. In 1988, Trach published a novel which criticized the legal system and prison conditions in Vietnam. Thach has also written about war crimes he claims to have witnessed during his time with the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN). Thach claims that he witnessed PAVN troops massacre civilians in the village of Tan Lap in 1975. Thach was first arrested in 2008 after years of harassment. He served three years in prison, and a further three years of house arrest, after being charged with “conducting propaganda against the state.”

The Case

On April 23, 2020, Thach was arrested again and charged with subversion under Article 109 of the 2015 Criminal Code. According to Thach’s lawyer, the charges concerned Facebook posts and his association with the Brotherhood for Democracy (BFD) between 2013 and 2016. On December 15, 2020, Thach was handed a 12-year sentence for taking part in “activities against the people’s government.”

Human rights concerns

Thach has been denied the right to free expression, as well as the right to a free trial. Thach was only allowed to meet his lawyer for the first time after six months in detention. Thach’s lawyer was denied permission to photocopy the indictments against Thach and was instead only allowed to take some written notes about the charges.  On March 24, 2021, Thach’s appeal was turned down after a short trial in which his lawyer was not allowed to argue his case.

Thach’s health deteriorated while in detention, and on November 30, the beginning of the trial was delayed after Thach was hospitalized with high blood pressure. Thach also suffers from gout and ulcerative colitis. 

Thach is now one of eleven BFD members serving a long-term prison sentence for their involvement with the group, while two more have been exiled to Germany.

What action can you take?

• Please share this page on social media and include the post below:

“Stand up for #freespeech in #Vietnam. We urge the Vietnamese government to release the poet, author, and veteran Tran Duc Thach. Thach is now serving a 12-year prison sentence for criticizing the government.

Read more and take action for Thach here:
https://the88project.org/take-action-for-poet-thach/”

• Please share one of Thach’s poems 
• Please share the below letter with your local political representative to raise awareness of Thach’s case
  

“Dear Mr/Mrs_______________________

I am writing to bring the case of the Tran Duc Thach to your attention. Thach is a poet, author, and veteran of the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN), who has criticized Vietnam’s legal system and human rights record. Thach is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence after being arrested in April 2020. Thach has been denied basic human rights like the right to free speech and the right to a fair trial.

The Vietnamese government has long been suspicious of Thach. Thach claims to have witnessed war crimes committed by the PAVN in the village of Tan Lap in 1975. In 1988, Trach published a novel which criticized the legal system and prison conditions in Vietnam. He was first arrested in 2008 and was jailed for three years. Thach was most recently arrested for his links with the Brotherhood for Democracy, a pro-democracy group. Thach is now the eleventh member of the group to be jailed, while two more have been exiled to Germany. 

Thach was denied the right to a fair trial. He was only allowed to meet his lawyer for the first time six months after he was arrested. Furthermore, his lawyer was not allowed to copy the indictment against him and was only allowed to take some handwritten notes. On March 24, 2021, Thach’s appeal was turned down after a short trial in which his lawyer was not allowed to argue his case.

Thach’s health deteriorated while in detention, and on November 30, the beginning of the trial was delayed after Thach was hospitalized with high blood pressure. This is especially concerning considering Thach’s age (69). Thach also suffers from gout and ulcerative colitis. 

I am asking that you raise awareness of this case in order to pressure the Vietnamese authorities to release Thach and ensure that he receives adequate medical treatment. 

You can find more information about Thach by visiting his profile on The 88 Project website.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Kind Regards,”

 

© 2021 The 88 Project