Yesterday, on May 5, 2021, a series of domestic newspapers reported on the prosecution
of Mr. Nguyen Bao Tien, a collaborator of Liberal Publishing House.
We would like to report in full the process of Tien participating in publishing books for
Liberal Publishing House and being arrested:
Around July and August 2019, the civil police forces of Ho Chi Minh City tightened the
delivery of postal services to prevent the way of transferring books of Liberal Publishing
House to readers. Facing this difficulty, the Publisher called for the community’s help. Our
call was supported by many people, including Mr. Nguyen Bao Tien from Phu Yen.
Mr. Tien contacted us and since then has become an enthusiastic partner of Liberal
Publishing House. However, since October 2nd, 2019, we completely lost contact with him,
his Facebook and Whatsapp accounts were locked.
Then, around November and December 2019, we were continuously receiving notices
from readers – who were interrogated by police – about police investigating “a bookmaking line in Phu Yen. “. From this information, we know that Tien was arrested and that the civil police forces are seeking to blame him completely for the activities of the Liberal Publishing House.
Until yesterday, May 5th, 2021, the Vietnamese press simultaneously reported on the
arrest and prosecution against Nguyen Bao Tien, that is, 18 months after Tien’s disappearance.
Since its inception and operation up to now, the Liberal Publishing House’s members and
partners have been continuously persecuted, detained, and harassed. Typical is the arrest
of Ms. Pham Doan Trang, an author, co-founder, and former member of Liberal Publishing
House.
WE – LIBERAL PUBLISHER, DECLARE:
1. The fact that Phu Yen provincial’s civil police forces arrested and prosecuted Mr.
Nguyen Bao Tien has too many doubts. We urge Phu Yen civil police forces to answer
clearly to the public, what exact date was Tien arrested when sending the book?
2. We have grounds to suspect that Tien has been arrested and detained since October
2019, so that Mr. Tien may have been illegally arrested or detained for the past 18
months.
3. Mr. Nguyen Bao Tien’s work is completely justified, he only exercises the right to
freedom of speech, freedom of publication, and the right to read books in a peaceful
manner. Rights are recognized in international conventions to which the Vietnamese
government has signed.
NGUYEN BAO TIEN IS GUILTLESS.
4. The dictatorial government of communist Vietnam’s action of stifling the right to
freedom of speech, the right to free reading is inhuman, and it sows crimes.
5. We – Liberal Publishing House – strongly condemn this crime of the Vietnamese
communist government, demanding that the government release Nguyen Bao Tien and
other prisoners of conscience immediately and unconditionally.
6. We urge the international community, human rights organizations, and citizens to speak
up for Mr. Nguyen Bao Tien in this illegal arrest and detention. We hope the community
helps us to reach Mr. Tien’s family to assist him in legal matters in the future.
Liberal Publishing House
