On April 16, 2014, after visiting the family of writer Huynh Ngoc
Tuan at Phu Tam commune, Tam Ky city, Quang Nam province, the two
activists Bui Tuan Lam and Nguyen Duc Quoc were assaulted by Quang Nam
security agents and regime-hired thugs. After returning home, Lam and
Quoc wrote and posted the incident reports on the Internet.
We have contacted Quang Nam authorities to make inquiry about the incident. First, we called Quang Nam police at +84 0510 3852579;
just like other public offices in Vietnam, they tried to dodge
questions about the assaults. We then called the office of the
provincial police chief and his staffs followed the same protocol when
answering questions.
Earlier, we could obtain some mobile numbers of Quang Nam police
officers from a staff of the PA38 unit and called those numbers;
however, they all told us they were not aware of the incidents.
Being frustrated, we immediately called Mr. Le Phuoc Thanh - the
Chairman of Quang Nam (his number is +84 0,913,480,207). Mr. Thanh
answered that he was “busy in a meeting.”
Without giving up, we called Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quang - Vice Chairman of
Quang Nam (his phone number is +84 0,913,401,903). Unlike the officials
we previously talked to, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quang seemed to listen to us.
He asked us to tell him what had happened related to the incidents.
Then, he sounded "professional" in questioning why we could conclude
that the two activists were attacked by Quang Nam security agents. We
presented the proofs we have. First, local residents at the Trung Ky
Bridge in Tam Ky City confirmed us the attackers are 8 security agents
and also provided the name of those agents. Second, the two gangsters
involved in the attacks confirmed that Quang Nam police hired them to
attack Lam and Quoc; however, they realized the purpose of the attack is
ridiculous, thus they pretended to hit the victims to get paid.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quang admitted such actions are “contrary to the provisions of the law,” and promised to “investigate it.”
We also sent a message to the officials that if the family of writer
Huynh Ngoc Tuan gets any troubles in the future then Quang Nam
authorities will be held accountable.
Today, in case of police killing civilians in prison without witnesses,
police officers are seemingly afraid to face justice and try to use
money bribing victims’ families in order to avoid lawsuits. Therefore,
incidents happen in daylight cannot be hidden away. In this Internet
age, it just takes seconds for the whole world to know the news.
We would like to thank the security staff and the official of Quang Nam
People's Committee office those who provided us the phone numbers of
some Quang Nam officials.
We also want to post the phone numbers of two other vice chairmen of
Quang Nam province, Mr. Dinh Van Thu - phone number: +84 0,913,481,563,
and Mr. Huynh Khanh Toan - phone number: +84 0,913,480,369.
Like it or not, Quang Nam authorities have promised us to investigate
this case. By posting the phone number of the officials, we determine to
go to the end with cases in which security agents intimidate and/or
assault human rights activists in Vietnam.
Security agents involved in the assault against Bui Tuan Lam and Nguyen Duc Quoc
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