Cannot tolerate or encourage violations of Vietnamese law

The Canadian and British Foreign Offices (February 10) presented the “Canada-UK Press Freedom Award 2022” to Pham Thi Doan Trang, who was sentenced to 9 years in prison for “Propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”. The reason given by the two countries was “to recognize Ms. Trang’s contributions to “promoting press freedom in Vietnam”. Previously, this person was also “named” to receive the Martin Ennals human rights award on January 19, 2022, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Stating Vietnam's viewpoint on the above moves, the spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: Awarding an award to an individual who violated Vietnamese law is an action that lacks objectivity, is inappropriate and is not beneficial to the development of bilateral relations between Vietnam and other countries.

Notably, after the Hanoi People's Court convicted Pham Thi Doan Trang in December 2021, US State Department spokesman Ned Price issued a "press statement", condemning and calling for Pham Thi Doan Trang's release.

Defendant Pham Thi Doan Trang at the trial on December 14, 2021. Photo: VNA

In an interview with VOV reporters, Mr. Nguyen Van Ky, Deputy Chief of the Government’s Permanent Office for Human Rights, affirmed: Pham Thi Doan Trang was arrested and tried for repeatedly and seriously violating the law. Pham Thi Doan Trang’s behavior is dangerous to society.

PV: Sir, why was Pham Thi Doan Trang arrested and sentenced to 9 years in prison?

Mr. Nguyen Van Ky:Pham Thi Doan Trang is a person with basic training and a good education. However, it is a pity that Pham Thi Doan Trang did not use her knowledge to serve the country and the people. After studying abroad, Pham Thi Doan Trang became a member of the VOICE organization (a reactionary exile organization) and also the head of the so-called "Free Publishing House".

Trang was assigned to be in charge of personnel, reviewing people before sending them abroad for training, and training on how to return to work against the people's government. On December 14, 2021, the Hanoi People's Court opened the first-instance trial of Pham Thi Doan Trang for the crime of "Propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam". The indictment affirmed that Pham Thi Doan Trang must bear criminal responsibility for repeatedly making, storing, circulating and distributing documents and items with content against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Based on the documents and evidence, the Trial Panel sentenced Pham Thi Doan Trang to 9 years in prison.

PV: Sir, what is the purpose of awarding the human rights and press freedom award to Pham Thi Doan Trang - a prisoner serving a sentence in Vietnam?

Mr. Nguyen Van Ky:The above incident shows that these countries continue to pay attention to and put pressure on Vietnam on issues of democracy and human rights. In addition, some organizations and individuals with ill will towards Vietnam have taken advantage of Vietnam's handling of a number of dissidents in recent times, including Pham Thi Doan Trang, to distort and slander Vietnam for violating democracy and human rights. Through this incident, they also intend to incite dissidents and reactionaries at home and abroad, creating an excuse for some organizations and individuals to carry out activities against Vietnam in the coming time. This can be considered an act of interference in Vietnam's internal affairs.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ky, Deputy Chief of the Government's Permanent Office for Human Rights.

Each country has the right to choose its own path, depending on the specific conditions of that country. Therefore, organizations and individuals distorting and slandering the democracy and human rights issues of other countries is an infringement on the internal affairs of that country. This is unacceptable for a sovereign country like Vietnam. Supporting, tolerating, and encouraging the acts of opposition by lawbreakers who are brought to trial by an independent and sovereign country must be condemned.

We see very clearly that our Party and State welcome and guarantee freedom and democracy, including freedom of speech and freedom of the press. However, each citizen, when exercising this right, must do so within the framework of the law. Any act of taking advantage of one's own freedom to infringe upon the interests of the State or the legitimate interests of organizations and individuals will be subject to legal action, and order and discipline can only be maintained when the law is respected. That is the basis for the stable development of the country, and an important premise for promoting, ensuring and developing human rights values ​​in Vietnam.

PV: Not only did these organizations award human rights prizes to Pham Thi Doan Trang and a number of anti-government groups in Vietnam, but they also asked us to review the verdict. They said that the trial was “imposed”. What is your comment on this issue?

Mr. Nguyen Van Ky:All activities in Vietnam must respect the law. In the past, we have handled not only Pham Thi Doan Trang but also many other subjects based on the specific bases of each set of laws, including the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code. In the process of arresting and handling the subjects, the investigation agency, the People's Procuracy, and the People's Court all based on the provisions of the law to handle the right person, the right crime, not letting criminals escape but also not making wrongful convictions. Therefore, it can be said that the sentence for Pham Thi Doan Trang as well as other dissidents in the past is completely in accordance with regulations, in accordance with international law. The distorted arguments that Vietnam handled the above subjects with "vague sentences", "subjective will", "imposition", "suppression of dissidents" are completely baseless. In the coming time, on the one hand, we must continue to perfect the institution but at the same time continue to strictly implement legal regulations, continue to bring to trial those who violate the law on the basis of ensuring the right person, right crime, and right legal regulations.

We often hear them call the above subjects “prisoners of conscience”, “dissidents”… Up to this point, I must affirm that in Vietnam there are no “prisoners of conscience”. In Vietnam, only those who violate the law are prosecuted. They use such beautiful words to distort and slander Vietnam for violating democracy and human rights, causing those who lack understanding of the law and the policies of the Vietnamese State to misunderstand that Vietnam lacks goodwill, that Vietnam violates democracy and human rights, and then support or take actions against the Vietnamese State. These are illegal and unacceptable actions that violate Vietnam’s internal affairs.

PV: Thank you very much!

Pham Thi Doan Trang (born in 1978, residing in Cat Linh ward, Dong Da district, Hanoi) used to be a reporter for several newspapers and television channels. In 2013, Trang left the country and was then lured into a network of anti-Party and anti-State elements by reactionary elements.

According to the indictment, between November 16, 2017 and December 5, 2018, Pham Thi Doan Trang produced, stored, and circulated documents and articles with content that was against the State. In addition, the defendant also gave interviews to foreign media with content that distorted the State's guidelines and policies, slandered the people's government, and spread fabricated news that caused confusion among the people.

Doan Trang also established and operated the websites “Law Magazine”, “Phamdoantrang.com”, “The Vietnamese”, wrote and distributed many articles and books with propaganda content distorting the situation of democracy and human rights in Vietnam, defaming the leaders of the Party and State, and inciting the overthrow of the regime.