US embassy cable - 02HANOI3034

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TRIAL OF ANOTHER ACTIVIST?

Identifier: 02HANOI3034
Wikileaks: View 02HANOI3034 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Hanoi
Created: 2002-12-20 06:32:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: PHUM PINS PGOV 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 003034 
 
SIPDIS 
UNCLASSIFIED     PTO2208 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  03034  200713Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DINT-00 
      DODE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00 
      H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00 
      AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00 
      PER-00   PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    STR-00 
      TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  FMP-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00 
      DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /009W 
                  ------------------1AA9F5  200714Z /38 
R 200632Z DEC 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8427 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS HANOI 003034 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PINS, PGOV, VM, HUMANR 
SUBJECT:  TRIAL OF ANOTHER ACTIVIST? 
 
REF:  HANOI 2718 
 
1.  (U)  IN RESPONSE TO MEDIA REPORTS THAT ACTIVIST NGUYEN 
KHAC TOAN WOULD GO ON TRIAL ON DECEMBER 20, EMBASSY FORMALLY 
REQUESTED PERMISSION ON DECEMBER 15 FOR AN OFFICER TO ATTEND 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  03034  200713Z 
THE TRIAL.  (TOAN HAD BEEN ARRESTED IN JANUARY 2002, AND IS 
REPORTEDLY CHARGED WITH "CONDUCTING PROPAGANDA" AGAINST THE 
SOCIALIST STATE, "SPREADING MISINFORMATION" ABOUT HE 
GOVERNMENT, AND "SPYING" FOR AN UNIDENTIFIED FOREIGN 
COUNTRY.)  A DEPUTY CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE HANOI PEOPLE'S 
COURT INFORMED POL FSN ON DECEMBER 19, HOWEVER, THAT SUCH 
ATTENDANCE BY A FOREIGNER WOULD BE "UNPRECEDENTED" AND 
IMPOSSIBLE. 
 
2.  (U)  AT THE HANOI COURT ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 20, 
NUMEROUS PLAINCLOTHES AND UNIFORMED POLICE WERE PRESENT, AND 
IT APPEARED THAT PEOPLE ENTERING THE COURT BUILDING WERE 
REQUIRED TO SHOW PERMISSION LETTERS.  PEOPLE WITH OTHER 
BUSINESS WERE ASKED TO RETURN ON DECEMBER 23.  EMBOFF WAS 
NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT TOAN'S TRIAL WAS ONGOING OR, IF SO, 
WHETHER FAMILY MEMBERS AND A LAWYER WERE PRESENT. 
 
3.  (U)  COMMENT:  THE UNUSUAL SECURITY PRECAUTIONS IN PLACE 
MAKE IT HIGHLY POSSIBLE THAT TOAN'S TRIAL IS UNDERWAY.  IF 
LE CHI QUANG'S TRIAL (REFTEL) IS ANY INDICATOR, SENTENCING 
IS APT TO BE QUICK, AND, IN THIS CASE, THE SPYING CHARGES 
MAY LEAD TO AN EVEN HEAVIER SENTENCE. 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 

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