H.E. Tring Quang Thanh
Ambassador
Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
470 Wilbrod St.
Ottawa. ON K1N 6M8

March 13, 2003

Your Excellency,

I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of expression around the world.

CJFE wishes to express its grave concern about the safety of 73-year-old Tran Dung Tien, arrested on January 22, 2003, after writing an open letter calling for the release of imprisoned activists Pham Que Duong and Tran Khue.

Tien was arrested at a photocopy shop in the capital, Hanoi, according to his wife, Duong Kim Hop. The same day, police confiscated two boxes of documents from their home. Despite repeated inquiries from Hop, police have not provided any information about where Tien is being held or if he has been formally charged with any crime.

On January 20, Tien had distributed an open letter addressed to government leaders and the media calling for the release of imprisoned democracy activists Pham Que Duong and Tran Khue, arrested in late December 2002 after meeting at Khue's home in Ho Chi Minh City.

Tran Khue, who had been under house arrest since October 2001, has written a number of essays criticizing government policies and calling for political reform. Government officials have stated that both Duong and Khue will be tried but have not clarified when or on what charges.

In recent years, Tien has written a number of open letters and essays calling for political reform and analyzing the failures of the communist leadership. On November 8, 2002, Tien was briefly detained after protesting the trial of Internet essayist Le Chi Quang, who was sentenced to four years in prison for his writings.

Our organization is alarmed that the detention of Tien is part of a larger crackdown by the Vietnamese government to silence dissent. We call on the Government of Viet Nam to release Tran Dung Tien immediately and to stop harassing those who express their views publicly.

We request your Embassy convey our concerns to the Government of Viet Nam.

I look forward to receiving your prompt reply to this letter.

Sincerely,

Case file number: PL-O309