Huynh Thuc Vy - Accepting an invitation from the Venerable Thich Vien Đinh, my father Huynh Ngoc Tuan and my younger brother Huynh Trong Hieu travelled from Quang Nam to Binh Dinh on Feb. 19, 2014, to attend a memorial ceremony for the late Venerable Phuoc Hue (1869-1945) at Thap Thap temple of the Vietnamese Unified Buddhist Church.
A joined force of Quang Nam security service and Binh Dinh police had been chasing my father and my brother all the way from Quang Nam to Binh Dinh. The memorial anniversary on January 21st of the lunar calendar is an important feast of the Vietnamese Unified Buddhist Church. Hundreds of Binh Dinh police were utilized to monitor the monks and Buddhist followers at Thap Thap temple in Binh Dinh.
In the afternoon of February 20, 2014, my father and my brother took a drive home with the Venerable Thich Tu Giao and some Buddhist followers from Quang Tri.
They arrived in Tam Ky around 3 PM. Upon getting off the vehicle for a taxi drive, my father and my brother were suddenly attacked by a gang of about 10 masked men.
They grabbed my father, lifted him up and violently threw him down on the road. My brother was severely beaten on the head, face, hips, and belly.
Huynh Ngoc Tuan
The brutal assault was carried out swiftly to prevent the victims from calling for help. Witnessing the attack, the Venerable Thich Tu Giao stepped out of the vehicle yelling for help and was also beaten by the masked men. The gang of plainclothes security agents left the scene after beating my father and my brother brutally for about 10 minutes.
Apparently, my father suffers bruises, swollen face and eyes. My brother suffers swollen eyes and face, a jaw strain, hip pain, and headache.
We will take my father and my brother to see a doctor as soon as possible and update their health status later.
We do not understand why the government, in recent days, has repeatedly attacked my family members. We feel that the safety and the life of each of our family members are being seriously threatened by the government.
Please kindly help us spread this information and voice your support for us. Thank you.
Tam Ky, February 20, 2014
