Authorities demand organizing funeral service for blogger Pham Thanh Nghien’s mother

Amid the grief of the family with the passing of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Loi - mother of the former prisoner of conscience Pham Thanh Nghien - the authorities have intervened, put pressure on the family, and made ridiculous demands, with regard to a highly private matter. Communist party members, on behalf of different state-run associations, have demanded the family to let them organize the funeral service.

Meanwhile, plainclothes police have been closely monitoring the activities of family members, relatives and guests.

The family has strongly rejected demands from the authorities. However, local officials insist their quest in writing and delivering the eulogy. Blogger Pham Thanh Nghien is fighting so fiercely to protect her family rights on a private affair. Failing to impose their demands on the family, the local authorities have deployed inhuman tactics to disrupt the funeral service such as cutting off water supply to the family’s house and threatening a family member who is so nervous in dealing with police.

On the afternoon of Thursday, February 27, 2014, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nga, wife of writer and prisoner of conscience Nguyen Xuan Nghia, attends the wake carrying two condolence wreaths from the Vietnamese Women Human Rights Council and RadioDLSN. Security agents immediately rushed over to tear apart the banners on the wreaths.

Currently there is a flow of bloggers, friends, and good neighbors coming to the funeral wake.

Blogger Pham Thanh Nghien, whose health status has been in a bad shape since her release from prison due to the probation order that makes it difficult for getting treatment, has completely lost her appetite since the death of her beloved mother, who passed away on February 26, 2014, at the age of 79. However, she remains steadfast in fighting for her family rights with regard to the funeral service for her mother.

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