Christians Caught up in Crackdown on Peaceful Dissidents in Vietnam

Human Rights Watch accuses Vietnamese government of "flouting its international commitments on human rights" after the recent arrests of two human rights lawyers and a Catholic priest.

Human Rights Watch has expressed alarm over what it calls "one of the worst crackdowns" in 20 years by the Vietnamese government on peaceful dissidents, including a Catholic priest and other Christians.

The organisation sharply condemned the recent arrests of two outspoken human rights lawyers and a dissident Catholic priest, and said the Vietnamese government now felt "emboldened by international recognition" after joining the World Trade Organisations and hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

On February 18, dozens of police in Hue raided the parish home of Father Nguyen Van Ly, a Catholic priest and former prisoner of conscience. They confiscated computers, telephones and more than 200 kilograms of documents. The authorities moved him to a remote location, where he remains under house arrest.

Father Ly is one of the founders of "Block 8406," a democracy movement launched in April 2006 when hundreds of people throughout Vietnam signed public petitions calling for democracy and human rights.