Human Rights Watch urged the Vietnamese authorities on Wednesday to withdraw all the charges from the independent candidate for the elections to the National Assembly, Le Trong Hung, and release him after nine months in custody
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th December, 2021) Human Rights Watch urged the Vietnamese authorities on Wednesday to withdraw all the charges from the independent candidate for the elections to the National Assembly, Le Trong Hung, and release him after nine months in custody.
The candidate was arrested in spring 2021, two months before the parliamentary elections on a charge of propaganda against the nation. A Hanoi city court will consider the case on Friday, and if the 41-year old is convicted, he will face up to 12 years of imprisonment, the watchdog said.
"Imprisoning activists like Le Trong Hung who dare to run as independent candidates for parliament shows what a charade Vietnam's elections are," the deputy Asia director of HRW, Phil Robertson, said.
Hung, formerly a middle school teacher, began covering social issues on Facebook and YouTube in 2017 and advised people to petition the government. He also took part in anti-China and environmental protests.
This past February, Hung announced he was going to to run as an independent candidate for the parliamentary elections and proposed his policies, which entailed promoting legal education and permission for peaceful protests.
