A Voice for the Voiceless

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

WASHINGTON, U.S. – 37 U.S. Senators have written to Vietnam’s president asking for “immediate and unconditional release” of Father Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly, a Roman Catholic priest who has been a strong advocate for democracy in Vietnam.

Father Ly is the founder of Bloc 8406, a pro-democracy movement that began in 2006.  The Vietnamese government has accused Father Ly of spreading propaganda against its communist government.

Father Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly (Source: AP)

However, the U.S. Senators believe that Father Ly’s trial back in 2007 was seriously flawed.  According to a human rights group, Father Ly was denied access to a lawyer and the security guards silenced him when Father Ly tried to speak during the four-hour trial.  Thereafter, he was sentenced to eight years.

In their letter, the U.S. lawmakers said, “Given these serious flaws in relation to his arrest, trial and imprisonment, we request that you…allow him to return to his home and work without restrictions to his right to freedom of expression, association and movement.”  The Senators added, “Father Ly’s arrest, trial and ongoing detention in this instance call into question Vietnam’s commitment to …fundamental principles.”

The Vietnamese Embassy in Washington did not confirm receipt of the senators’ letter, but Maran Turner of Freedom Now said imprisoning Father Ly would mean that U.S. government has placed Vietnam back on the list of “countries of particular concern” for violations of religious freedom.  U.S. did place Vietnam on this list in 2004, but removed it in 2006.

Father Ly is well known in the United States for his longstanding fight in promoting religious freedom and democracy for Vietnam, and the 63-year old priest has been jailed three times for a total of 17 years since 1970’s.

For more information, please see:

AP – 37 senators seek freedom for Vietnamese priest – 1 July 2009

BBC – US call to free Vietnamese priest – 2 July 2009

NYT – 37 U.S. Senators Urge Vietnam to Free Imprisoned Priest – 1 July 2009

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NEW DELHI, India – The country’s second national Gay Pride march was held in New Delhi as Indian officials prepare to repeal an anti-gay law despite opposition from religious and some political leaders.  India is one of the few democracies in the world that still criminalizes homosexuality.

Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code was drafted in 1860 by the British and criminalizes consensual sex between adults of the same gender.  Those found guilty are punishable by a 10-year jail sentence.

Spokesman for the opposition party, Sidharth Nath Singh, said, “This is a sensitive issue and warrants a debate within the Indian society at large before arriving at any decision,” and the party’s leader remarked that the government should not make changes to the law in haste, adding that India is neither Europe nor America.  India’s Law Minister also stated, “[W]e are not going to rush to any conclusion.  We will certainly take into account concerns of all sections….”

Conversely, India’s religious leaders oppose repealing the law.  Babu Joseph of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India said, “[W]e are certainly in principle against legalizing [homosexuality], because that would mean the state endorsing same-sex relationships,” and homosexuality “violates fundamental norms of a family.”  India’s Muslim leaders also oppose repealing the anti-gay law saying, “Islam does not allow any unnatural act.  No Muslim in the world, let alone India, can ever support it.”

Source: Times Online

However, activists are claiming that the homosexuality law violates India’s Constitution, which guarantees all citizens right to equality and personal liberty, and the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.  Supporters of repealing the law also say that the anti-gay law makes it hard for HIV infected gay men to seek medical treatment.  A local NGO has challenged the law’s constitutionality with the Delhi High Court, and the ruling is expected next month.

For more information, please see:

Asian Tribune – India will repeal anti-gay law but in a hurry, says Law Minister Moily – 29 June 2009

CNN – India faith leaders: Anti-gay law must stay – 29 June 2009

Times Online – India to repeal anti-gay law as second Gay Pride is held – 29 June 2009

By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – The Supreme People’s Court of China, which has the power of final approval for death penalty cases, announced that the Court would cut down on the number of annual executions and impose more suspended death sentences.

(Source: AsiaNews)

China is considered to be the world’s top executioner.  According to Amnesty International, at least 7,000 Chinese have been sentenced to death and 1,718 people were executed in 2008, which is 72% of the world’s total number of people executed.  The exact number of executions is a state secret in China.

The death penalty applies to 60 offenses in China, including non-violent crimes like tax fraud and embezzlement.  However, after China gave the Supreme People’s Court the power to review death penalty cases from the lower courts two years ago, there have been fewer executions.  One Chinese newspaper reported that the Supreme People’s Court overturned 10% of the death penalty cases in 2008.

Murder convict being taken away to be executed in Guangzhou (Source: Reuters)

Zhang Zun, the vice-president of the Supreme People’s Court said, “As it is impossible for the country to abolish capital punishment under current realities and social security conditions, it is an important effort to strictly control the application of the penalty by judicial organs.”  Zhang added, “Judicial departments should use the least number of death sentences possible,” and use capital punishment only against “those who have committed extremely…heinous crimes that lead to grave social consequences.”

However, rights groups have been concerned because Chinese officials are alleged to have remarked that violent protesters of the riots that took place in Xinjiang region earlier this month would be executed. 

One human rights group researcher, Si-si Liu, expressed her concern saying, “We question how this kind of sentencing decision, which only courts should be eligible to make can be made by people outside the judicial system.”

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – China to cut down on executions – 29 July 2009

BBC – China to cut down number of executions – 29 July 2009

Guardian – China to restrict death penalty and cut executions – 29 July 2009

By Alishba I. Kassim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – One of the last remaining survivors, Vann Nath, of the notorious Tuol Sleng prison gave his testimony today at Cambodia’s war crimes tribunal. Also in attendance facing charges was Comrade Duch (a.k.a. Kaing Guek Eav), a senior Khmer Rouge official in charge of the infamous prison. Up to 16,000 men, women, and children were tortured under his command and later taken away to be executed in the late 1970’s. Vann Nath is one of only seven to have survived the prison, and only one of three currently living.

“The conditions were so inhumane and the food was so little…I even thought eating human flesh would be a good meal,” Vann Nath told the UN-backed tribunal in Phnom Penh. During his testimony, Nath, now 67, told the tribunal that he was fed twice a day, and each meal consisted of three teaspoons of rice porridge. “We were so hungry, we would eat insects that dropped from the ceiling… We would quickly grab and eat them so we could avoid being seen by the guards.”

Nath testified that he only survived his imprisonment at the jail and was spared torture because Comrade Duch liked his paintings of the Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot. Comrade Duch is the first senior Khymer Rouge leader to face trial and the only one to take responsibility for his actions. Duch is charged with crimes against humanity and is the first of five defendants scheduled for trials by the UN-assisted tribunal. The four other Khmer officials will face trial in the coming year.

Duch himself has previously testified that being sent to Tuol Sleng prison was “tantamount to a death sentence,” and that he was only following orders to ensure his own safety. Earlier in his trial, the 66-year-old admitted responsibility for his role as governor of the jail, and begged forgiveness from his victims. The Khmer regime’s policies caused the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people nationwide through execution, torture, disease, and malnutrition.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Khmer Rouge Survivor Testifies – June 29, 2009

CBC News – Ex-Khmer Rouge Prisoner Testifies at Trial in Cambodia – June 29, 2009

Reuters – Pol Pot Paintings Saved my Life – June 29, 2009