US embassy cable - 04HANOI1699

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EARLY RELEASE OF LE CHI QUANG

Identifier: 04HANOI1699
Wikileaks: View 04HANOI1699 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Hanoi
Created: 2004-06-15 06:11:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags: PHUM PREL VM HUMANR
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS HANOI 001699 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR DRL AND EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, VM, HUMANR 
SUBJECT:  EARLY RELEASE OF LE CHI QUANG 
 
REF:  A.  Hanoi 1649   B.  02 Hanoi 2718  C.  02 Hanoi 2708 
 
1.  (SBU)  A reliable activist source has confirmed the 
early release on June 12 of Le Chi Quang, who had been 
sentenced by the Hanoi People's Court on November 8, 2002 to 
a four year sentence (refs b and c) for alleged "acts of 
propaganda" against the State.  According to Vietnamese 
media accounts, he had written a letter requesting clemency, 
had expressed remorse during his time in prison, and had 
promised not to break the law again.  The Na Ham provincial 
people's court approved the early release. 
 
2.  (SBU)  Our source, who spoke by telephone with Quang on 
June 14, reported that Quang said he was healthy.  The 
superintendent of Nam Ha (Ba Sao) prison, where Quang had 
been held, confirmed to Pol/C on June 9 that Quang was in 
good health and claimed that reports of Quang's kidney 
ailments were not accurate (ref A).  He did not indicate an 
imminent release, however. 
 
3.  (U)  Embassy had formally requested that DRL Assistant 
Secretary Craner be allowed to meet with Quang, or other 
 
SIPDIS 
prisoners of concern at Nam Ha prison, during his June 18 
visit, which has now been postponed.  Pol/C reiterated this 
request directly to Vice Minister of Public Security Nguyen 
Van Huong on June 14.  Huong did not indicate that Quang had 
already been released. 
 
4.  (SBU)  Comment:  The high likelihood is that this early 
release was intended as a "gift" to A/S Craner, a theory 
strongly believed also by our activist contact here. 
PORTER 

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