By Le Quoc Quan, Asia News
Hanoi – In the coming days, Catholic activist and lawyer Le Quoc Quan will be able to appeal his 30-month sentence after he was convicted on spurious tax fraud charges.
Le Quoc Quan. Photo from Front Line Defenders.
In reality, he was brought before a court for conducting legal work defending human rights and democracy in Vietnam, both in the courtroom and on the internet.
In jail, he has access only to two newspapers: Nhan Dân, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, and An Ninh, the police newspaper.
He cannot read other papers, magazines or books, including the Bible he asked for (in vain).
Vietnam infos, an overseas news website for and by the Vietnamese Diaspora, published a letter in which the jailed Catholic lawyer appeals to his friends and relatives on the occasion of the Lunar New Year.
In it, he recounts the feelings and hopes that accompany his appeal trial, not forgetting to thank “friends and Catholics” who supported him. He also makes a new request for help ahead of his appeal trial.
Lastly, he says that “every day in prison” is a “day of suffering for me and the family.”
Here is the Catholic dissident’s message:
To my dear compatriots, in Vietnam and in the world, in my prison cell, I am happy to know that many of you worry about my fate and strongly support me. This is particularly the case of the many people, including friends and Catholics, who attended the lower court trial on 2 October 2013. All this is of great comfort to me in my faith and ideals.
Read the full story by Le Quoc Quan, Asia News.
