BANGKOK: Vietnam has freed two more political dissidents, making it three activists released in the space of a week, as pressure increases on the communist government to stop jailing its critics.
Nguyen Tien Trung, a 30-year-old blogger, was freed from a prison in southern Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday, his father said. Trung was convicted of subversion, or attempting to “overthrow the people’s administration”.
Vi Duc Hoi, 56, a former communist party member who became a democracy activist, was released on Friday, London-based rights group Amnesty International confirmed yesterday.
He was jailed for eight years in January 2011, reduced to five on appeal, for conducting propaganda against the state.
Trung’s father, Nguyen Tu Tu said: “The government said he followed the rules in prison very well, so he was released early.”
He added over telephone, “But everyone understands, the international community has put a lot pressure on the Vietnamese and this is an important reason why the government has released prisoners like my son ... I hope there will be more.”
REUTERS
