CTV Danlambao * Translated by Như Ngọc - This afternoon, Oct. 25, 2013, Truong Van Dung and Le Hong Phong (FB: Le Thien Nhan) came to Mai Xuan Thuong Park in Hanoi to help land dispute petitioners from Long An Province, who, like other petitioners, sheltered overnight in the park.
Upon arriving at the park, the two were brutally beaten by dozens of plainclothes police. After beating, police handcuffed their arms, chained their legs and took them to Thuy Khue police station at 23 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho, Hanoi.
As of 5:30 p.m., three of them still have been illegally detained at the police station and nobody could contact them by phone.
This is another thuggish behavior of police followed the recent brutal crackdown on the Hmong petitioners at Ly Tu Trong Park in Hanoi.
The act of attacking and arresting bloggers, who regularly assist petitioners at Mai Xuan Thuong Park, once again displays the lawless behaviors and practices of police in Hanoi.
We must raise our voice strongly to defend the bloggers who support petitioners and fight for human rights, which are luxury things in this socialist paradise.
News updates:
At 6:30 p.m., friends of the detained bloggers including Nguyen Chi Duc and Bui Tien Hung have come to Thuy Khue police station for support.
Police released Mrs. Bui Hang. She called for the release of her friends and condemned the lawless and brutal acts of police of Thuy Khue Ward.
At 8 p.m, bloggers in Hanoi and petitioners held banners to protest against illegal actions of police and to demand the release of the detainees. Among the protesters were bloggers Le Hoang, Le Dung, Le Anh Hung, Nguyen Van Vien, Lan Le, Bui Tien Hung, Mrs. Tram and the petitioners who followed Mrs. Ngoc Anh.
At 8:30 p.m., plainclothes police used “garbage hand trucks” to attack bloggers and petitioners. They confiscated banners and cell phones from protesters. A female security agent pushed and beat Mrs. Tram; blogger Nguyen Van Vien came over to help Mrs. Tram and was attacked and arrested by police.
At 8:50 p.m., Bui Thi Minh Hang and Le Thien Nhan were dragged out of the police station.
At 9 p.m., the activist Truong Van Dung was still detained. His contact remained unavailable.
At 9:45 p.m., police released Truong Van Dung. His body covers with blood stains and bruises inflicted by police. This case, once again, is sounding the alarm about the human rights situation in Vietnam.
This plainclothes police oversaw the attack (Photo courtesy of Bach Hong Quyen)
(Photos courtesy of Bùi Tiến Hưng and Lan Le)
