VZCZCXRO0929
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHHM #0514 1300900
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 100900Z MAY 07
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2608
INFO RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI IMMEDIATE 1889
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 2805

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000514 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI PINR ELAB VM
SUBJECT: NO SURPRISES:  HCMC DISSIDENT SHOW TRIAL RESULTS IN TOUGH 
CONVICTIONS 
 
REF: HCMC 483 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1. (SBU) A May 10 show trial for three members of the dissident 
People's Democratic Party and the United Workers Farmers 
Organization of Vietnam resulted in sentences of five, four and 
three years for the defendants Le Nguyen Sang, Nguyen Bac 
Truyen, and Huynh Nguyen Dao.  All three were accused of 
violating Article 88 of the Penal Code "Propagandizing Against 
the State." 
 
 ¶2. (SBU) HCMC authorities did not permit the CG, HCMC PolOff 
and the EU representative -- the HCMC German Consul -- to attend 
the May 10 trial for the three members of the United Workers 
Farmers Organization.  Late in the evening the day before the 
trial, HCMC External Relations Officials told PolOff that the 
MFA had rejected our diplomatic note request to attend the trial 
because it "was closed to foreigners."  When we told the HCMC 
External Relations Office that we would present our credentials 
to the court in the morning in any case, we were strongly 
discouraged from doing so.  While we were waiting on the 
courthouse steps after formally being denied admittance to the 
trial, AFP and Reuters reporters based in Hanoi came out from 
the courtroom annex, having been given permission to view the 
trial via closed circuit TV.  A number of supporters and friends 
of the defendants -- including a Sydney-based member of the 
International Bar Association -- also were prevented from 
viewing the trial.  Security at the court was tight but not 
tense. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The trial lasted approximately four hours.  Following 
the trial, we spoke with Le Nguyen Thanh, Sang's brother, who 
was allowed to sit in the courtroom along with Sang's mother and 
sister.  He told us that immediate family members of the other 
two defendants also were admitted.  We also spoke with Truyen's 
attorney, Trinh Vinh Phuc (Sang and Dao defended themselves). 
 
¶4. (SBU) According to Phuc, the prosecutor read out seven 
charges against the defendants, which included:  participation 
in the PDP, "reading and distributing anti-GVN leaflets," 
providing information to U.S.-based members of the PDP about 
land disputes in Vietnam, planning demonstrations during APEC, 
and "writing a letter with disrespectful content to President 
Nguyen Minh Triet."  During the trial, the prosecutors read a 
pre-written confession, in which Sang, Dao and Truyen admitted 
that "it was wrong to join the PDP."  According to Truyen's 
lawyer, all three admitted that they violated the law, asked for 
leniency and promised to end their membership in the PDP.  When 
asked to explain why they worked against the Party, they 
complained about corruption and mismanagement in the regime. 
Truyen's attorney sought to rebut the prosecutor's arguments for 
about 40 minutes, but, according to Sang's brother, the judge 
did not bother to listen. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Following the trial, the CG spoke with  AFP and Reuters 
reporters using cleared guidance.  The CG noted that the trial 
and convictions were "deeply troubling" and that we were aware 
of nothing to indicate that these individuals were engaged in 
anything but peaceful political expression.  The CG highlighted 
USG concern with the increase in harassment, detention and 
imprisonment of political activists, including Father Nguyen Van 
Ly.  He noted our intent to seek access to the HCMC trial of 
activist Tran Quoc Hien on May 15 and the May 11 trial in Hanoi 
of lawyers Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment:  The sentences the three activists received 
are similar to the prison terms associates of Father Ly received 
in Hue in late March.  The HCMC verdicts in no way reflect an 
effort by the government to temper punishment meted to 
dissidents.  This is particularly the case considering that in 
the Hue trials, the defendants pleaded their innocence and 
strongly rebutted the government charges against them.  Although 
we were denied access to today's trial, we will continue to 
press for access to the May 15 trial in HCMC of 8406 Bloc member 
and independent union organizer Tran Quoc Hien.  Hien, Director 
of Saigon Legal Consultancy, is accused of "inciting" land 
protestors to demonstrate and of writing and disseminating on 
the Internet anti-Party and anti-GVN materials.  He has been 
charged under Article 88 of the penal code for "anti-GVN 
propaganda" and under Article 89 for "disturbing security."  End 
Comment. 
 
WINNICK