VZCZCXRO1534
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHNH
DE RUEHHM #0130/01 0560256
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250256Z FEB 09
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5413
INFO RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 3585
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY PRIORITY 5649

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 000130 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL/AWH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL VM
SUBJECT: THREE DISSIDENTS RELEASED AFTER SERVING FULL TERMS; ONE 
POTENTIAL EARLY AMNESTY 
 
REF: A) 07 HCMC 906   B) 07 HCMC 1220 
 
HO CHI MIN 00000130  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Summary:  Over the past few weeks, two of the dissidents 
arrested and convicted during the 2007 crackdown on nascent 
pro-democracy groups, Huyen Nguyen Dao and Phung Quang Quyen, 
have been released from prison upon completion of their full 
sentences.  Post is attempting to confirm an MFA announcement 
regarding the early release of a third dissident, Tran Thi Le 
Hong, who was expected to serve out her term until December 
¶2009.  Meanwhile, contacts report that several imprisoned 
activists have gone on a hunger strike in Dong Nai, demanding 
improved prison conditions.  Post is reaching out to the 
families of the dissidents in hopes of speaking with them about 
their experiences and will continue to closely monitor their 
situations.  End summary. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Post has confirmed the release of political activists 
Huyen Nguyen Dao and Phung Quang Quyen, both of whom have served 
their full prison terms.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
announced Dao's February 15 release from Xuan Loc prison in Dong 
Nai province during a February 19 press briefing.  Dao, a 
freelance Internet journalist and member of the People's 
Democratic Party (PDP), was arrested in August 2006 and 
sentenced in May 2007 to three years in prison for "conducting 
propaganda against the State of the Socialist Republic of 
Vietnam" as defined by Article 88 of Vietnam's Penal Code.  In 
August 2007, the HCMC People's Court commuted Dao's sentence to 
2 years and 6 months in prison (ref A). 
¶2. (SBU) Members of the United Workers and Farmers Union (UWFO) 
confirmed the January 17 release of Phung Quang Quyen, a UWFO 
and For The People Party (FPP) activist based in Dalat who was 
arrested in November 2007, tried at the same time as fellow UWFO 
activists in December 2007, and sentenced to 18 months in prison 
for "abusing democratic rights to infringe upon legitimate 
rights and interests of individuals and organizations" under 
Article 258 of the Penal Code (ref B).  Quyen's sentence was 
upheld after an appeals trial on February 25, 2008.  When asked 
why Quyen had not been released in May 2008 after 18 months' 
served, a UWFO spokesperson said Quyen remained in detention 
longer because he was undergoing medical treatment. 
 
Potential Early Amnesty for UWFO Activist 
----------------------------------------- 
¶3. (SBU) In a February 13 letter to the European Commission, the 
MFA also confirmed the release of a third UWFO and PDP activist, 
Tran Thi Le Hong, as part of the country's Tet amnesty.  Post is 
trying to verify this news through our contacts.  Hong's release 
from Xuan Loc prison in Dong Nai would represent an early 
amnesty of approximately nine months, since she was not due to 
be released until November 2009.  According to ConGen contacts, 
Hong is one of the founders of the UWFO arrested in Dong Nai in 
December 2006 for her involvement in several labor strikes. 
Along with Quyen and other UWFO members, Hong was convicted in 
December 2007 and sentenced to three years in prison for 
"abusing democratic rights to infringe upon legitimate rights 
and interests of individuals and organizations" under Article 
258 of the Penal Code.  Hong's sentence was also upheld after an 
appeals trial on February 25, 2008. 
 
PDP Prisoners on Hunger Strike 
------------------------------ 
¶4. (SBU) In a separate development, a Bloc 8406 member  informed 
post on February 20 that PDP prisoners Nguyen Bac Truyen and Le 
Nguyen Sang, UWFO prisoner Tran Quoc Hien and FPP member Truong 
Minh Duc have gone on a hunger strike at Xuan Loc prison in Dong 
Nai.  The hunger strike started on Feb 16 in support of the 
prisoners' demands for better prison conditions, including the 
right to cook their own meals, spend more time outdoors and 
receive greater access to television and newspapers.  (Note: 
During Poloff's September 2008 meeting with PDP and UWFO family 
members in HCMC, they reported improved prison conditions for 
all PDP members prior to ConGenoffs' visit to assess prison 
labor conditions in June 2008, noting they had been moved into a 
communal cell and given lighter duties raising vegetables and 
cooking for other prisoners in the cafeteria.  End note.) 
 
¶5. (SBU) Of the approximately 24 known political activists who 
were arrested during the GVN's 2007 crackdown on dissidents, 
five fled to Cambodia upon fear of arrest, three were released 
without trial, and three (including Dao and Quyen) were released 
after serving out their full sentences.  Hong's case represents 
the only early amnesty.  Several key figures, including Father 
Ly, Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan and members of the PDP and 
UWFO, remain in prison. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Post is attempting to contact the released prisoners in 
order to learn more about their experiences in prison as well as 
their involvement and activities in various political groups. 
Dao has declined to meet with Poloff at this time, citing the 
 
HO CHI MIN 00000130  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
need to recover and spend time catching up with relatives.  Post 
will continue to monitor their situations and report on any 
surveillance and harassment by authorities. 
 
¶7. (U) This cable was coordinated with Embassy Hanoi. 
DICKEY