Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam holds leadership meeting in Saigon
2008-11-18
PARIS, 18 November 2008 (IBIB) - Leading monks from the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) gathered at the Giac Hoa Pagoda in Saigon on 15 November 2008 for a meeting of the UBCV Supreme Bi-cameral Council (Institute of the Sangha and Institute for the Dissemination of the Dharma Vien Hoa Dao), to discuss strategies and activities for 2009. This is the first leadership meeting of the outlawed UBCV since the death of Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang in July 2008 (...) continue
Wives of detained dissidents launch appeal for their husbands’ release
2008-11-01
PARIS, 1st November 2008 (VIETNAM COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS) - The wives of five pro-democracy activists in Vietnam whose husbands were arrested in September 2008 have written to the Vietnamese leadership calling for their release and “safe return” to their families. In a letter dated 30.10.2008, Mrs Nguyen Thi Nga, the wife of writer Nguyen Xuan Nghia, Mrs Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang, wife of human rights defender Nguyen Van Troi, Mrs Bui Thi Re, wife of Nguyen Van Tuc, Mrs (...) continue
European Parliament calls for concrete mechanisms on human rights and democracy in new EU-Vietnam Agreement
2008-10-22
STRASBOURG, 22 October 2008 (VIETNAM COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS) - In its plenary session in Strasbourg today, the European Parliament passed a “Resolution on the new EU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and Human Rights”. Adopted by an overwhelming majority of 479 in favour with 21 against and 4 abstentions, the Resolution drew a consensus of MEPs from all different political groups.
The EP Resolution calls for effective mechanisms to enforce human rights and democracy clauses in the new EU-Vietnam (...) continue
World Day Against the Death Penalty, 10 October 2008:
The Death Penalty in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
2008-10-09
PARIS, 9 October 2008 (VIETNAM COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS) - 664 people were executed in Asia in 2007, more than in any other region in the world. In Vietnam, 104 people received death sentences, including 14 women. Last year, the UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution calling on all countries still maintaining the death penalty to adopt a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty. Vietnam abstained from the vote. On this “World Day Against the (...) continue
UBCV leader Thich Quang Do supports Buddhist movement against discrimination in South Korea
2008-10-04
PARIS, 4 October 2008 (IBIB) – Prominent dissident and leader of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam Thich Quang Do has sent a letter to Buddhist leaders in South Korea supporting their peaceful protests against anti-Buddhist intolerance. Buddhists in Korea have complained that the administration of President Lee Myung Bak, who is a Christian, has a religious bias and discriminates against Buddhists. Since he came to power on 25 February 2008, Buddhists allege that President Lee has shown favouritism, including (...) continue
