Huynh Phuong Ngoc - Translated by Như Ngọc (Danlambao) - Representing the Vietnamese Women for Human Rights, Nguyen Ngoc Lua and I travelled to Tuyen Quang attempting to attend the appeal trial of Thao Quan Mua, Ly Van Dinh and Duong Van Tu.
We departed from Hanoi for Tuyen Quang by bus on the evening of May 26 and arrived at Tuyen Quang Prison on the next morning. Early in the morning, security agents, police in uniforms and plainclothes, and traffic police setup checkpoint at every intersection leading to the prison.
Our first attempt to attend the trial failed and we waited for another chance at a small shop by the road. Once the trial started at 8:40 a.m., we made another attempt by showing our ID cards to the guards and asking for entry permit to the trial. Moment later, three police requested us to come in. Upon passing the prison gate, the police promptly confiscated our cell phones and ID cards then separated us.
One plainclothes policewoman and two uniformed policemen working at the prison started the first interrogation. They asked who we are, where we are come from, how we could know the three accused Hmong, our address, and some personal information.
The second interrogation was conducted by seven police who kept shouting at us and insulting us. By 10 a.m. they told me that Lua was also being interrogated downstairs. Then four other policemen came to make discussion and decided to hand us over to Tuyen Quang police.
I faced the third interrogation conducted by 8 Tuyen Quang police. They kept asking who I am and whether the shown ID card is mine. They urged me to answer quickly and correctly and threatened that I may face death for making wrong answers.
They made questions about the Vietnamese Women for Human Rights, an organization that Lua and I are members, such as the name of the association, the leader, the principles of operation, the website address. Then they printed a list of members, read it and asked me to confirm the membership of each called name. I decided to keep my silence. Next, they asked questions about my family, my uncle Huynh Ngoc Tuan, my cousin Huynh Thuc Vy, and the articles I have posted on Danlambao.
At 3 p.m. they told me that Lua had hypotension and syncope. By 4 p.m. they put on the table a stack of printouts from my personal email and Facebook messages about my secret discussions with other members for the trip.
From 10 p.m. May 27 to 1 a.m. May 28 they had repeatedly made questions about the Vietnamese Women for Human Rights such as its financial status, its oversea connections, what the leaders are doing. And they told me that it is a reactionary organization and required me not to join it. I asked why they call it a reactionary, they answered because the State does not allow it to operate so it is a reactionary organization.
A policeman also threatened me that they could charge me accordingly to article 88 of the penal code for posting articles on Danlambao and being a member of a reactionary organization.
During the interrogations, they had shouted at me, took close-up video clips and pointed their fingers at my face. I was anxious because it was the first time I was abducted and interrogated by police. Both of us are female without physical strength, had no means of communication and must sit there to be the targets for questioning and insulting. Tuyen Quang is a very remote area; I feared that they would take illegal actions against me affecting my health, so I kept silent and did not answer. I lowered my head tiredly for suffering carsick and hours of interrogation without taking any food or drink.
I still remember the face of a policeman who kept screaming in my ear: "Tuan is a reactionary and had to go to jail for 10 years; now his children, nephews and nieces are the same; you have your own mind, but why do you listen to their wrong instructions? Do you know it is a reactionary organization?" I replied, “you give me the proof that what you have said are true, then I will continue to cooperate." He only proved to be more aggressive and yelled louder.
Some other policemen took turns to point fingers at my face and shouted: "If you are smart then tell the truth right away! From whom and where did you get the money for the trip to Tuyen Quang? I still kept silent and did not say anything. Around midnight when I was very exhausted, they brought over a kit for taking my fingerprints, took mug shots and got facial characteristics. Finally, they told me to gather my belongings and go home. They returned my ID card and promised to return my cell phone in Hanoi.
Three Hanoi plainclothes police, who came to Tuyen Quang at noon on the day of the trial, escorted Lua and I to Hanoi in a minivan. They dropped us off at a small motel in Hanoi around 4 a.m. on May 28 while we were in a poorly physical and mental condition.
When they drove away I took out my cell phone to take pictures of the vehicle. Immediately, they backed up quickly and three policemen rushed out to grab my phone and ran back to the vehicle. I did not want to give it up, so I quickly chased them to take back my phone while the vehicle door was still open. When I could grab the internal handle of the vehicle they drove away despite the fact that I was hanging aside. After driving a short distance they stopped and let me go with my phone. I got back to the motel. Later, Lua and I talked about the ordeal and realized that we each had to face with more than 30 Tuyen Quang police during the interrogations.
It seems over for now. We can rest and find some time to call and visit our friends in Hanoi. However, we are still very tired and worried that we may face some other forms of harassment over here. We are far away from home and fear for our own safety while staying in Hanoi. We need your concerns and support.
Hanoi, May 28, 2014.
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