Vietnam tries dissident writer on assault charges – Washington Post

In today’s Washington Post we read a sad piece entitled Vietnam tries dissident writer on assault charges . Apparently, this young woman was attacked by government thugs and then charged with assualt.

Here is an extended quote from the article:

“In recent weeks, Vietnam has sent 16 democracy activists to jail. Some were convicted of spreading propaganda against the state, and others were convicted of attempting to overthrow the government by joining pro-democracy parties.

Among them was Le Cong Dinh, a prominent U.S.-trained attorney who represented high-profile corporate clients and also handled human rights cases. He was sent to prison for five years.

Western diplomats have decried the campaign against dissent, which they say is the result of political jockeying among Communist factions in advance of next year’s Party Congress, during which the country’s new leaders will be chosen.

But earlier this week, in a speech marking the party’s 80th birthday, party Chairman Nong Duc Manh said Vietnam was “determined to fight the plots of hostile forces who are … calling for a multiparty system and abusing democracy and human rights issues to sabotage our socialist regime.”

CWO3 Tom Barnes, USCG (Ret.)