Như Ngọc (Danlambao) - On March 20, 2014, the people's court of Ham Yen district, Tuyen Quang province, conducts a quick trial without due process to sentence two Hmong ethnic persons, Mr. Ly Van Dinh, 51-year-old, and Mr. Duong Van Tu, 47-year-old, to 15 and 21 months in prison respectively on charge of "abusing democratic freedoms infringe upon the interests of the State" under Article 258 of the penal code.
Outside the court house, hundreds or even thousands of Hmong stage a mass protest calling for the release of the two accused persons but only meet with brutal suppression from Tuyen Quang police, whose forces deploy the use of pepper spray and high voltage stun gun to attack peaceful protesters including women and the elderly. At least four people are seriously beaten and taken away by police and a few dozen protesters are badly wounded.
Ms. Lý Thị Pènh (born 1983) was unconscious after beaten by polices
In a separate incident, 25-year-old blogger Trinh Anh Tuan was brutally assaulted by at least three plainclothes police after attending a discussion about freedom of movement hosted by the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers.
(Image: Facebook Bạch Hồng Quyền)
