Huynh Trong Hieu. Photo courtesy of www.pbase.com/hoangt/image/139977330
By
CHRIS BRUMMITT, Associated Press
HA
NOI — Vietnamese authorities stopped a blogger from flying to the
United States to pick up a human rights award on behalf of his father
and sister, triggering criticism from the U.S. Embassy.
Huynh
Trong Hieu said that police detained him at the Sai Gon airport as he
was checking in.
They
questioned him for two hours and took his passport, which had a valid
American visa. He then was released.
“I
was prepared for the fact that they would ban me from leaving the
country as they had prevented many people who dared to promote
democracy and human rights in Viet Nam,” Hieu said by telephone.
“By banning those people from leaving the country, the
government wants to give a warning to others that they have the
authority to decide the fate of all its citizens.”
Vietnamese
authorities declined immediate comment.
Viet
Nam converted to a market economy in the late 1980s and wants to
integrate with the world, but maintains strict controls on freedom of
speech and political expression. Bloggers, activists and others are
routinely arrested and imprisoned. Foreign media representatives are
allowed to live in the country but are subject to restrictions on
where they can travel and what they can report.
Hieu
was flying to the United States to receive a Hellman-Hammett award
from Human Rights Watch on behalf of his father Huynh Ngoc Tuan and
sister Huynh Thuc Vy, who are both prominent bloggers. Each year, the
group gives cash grants to selected writers for their commitment to
free expression in the face of government persecution.
Hieu
said he was traveling on behalf of his father and sister because they
both knew they wouldn’t be allowed to leave.
The
United States is seeking closer ties with Viet Nam, in large part
because it shares concerns with Ha Noi over China’s increasing
assertiveness in Southeast Asia. But it is vocal in its criticism of
the country’s human rights record, which most observers say is
getting worse.
“We
are troubled by the intervention of Vietnamese authorities to prevent
Huynh Trong Hieu from traveling to the United States,” the
embassy said in a statement. “We urge the Vietnamese government
to lift travel restrictions on Mr. Hieu and take steps to allow his
family and all Vietnamese to peacefully express their views without
fear of retribution.”
