Blogger abandons hunger strike, RWB reiterates release call

Reporters Without Borders is relieved to learn that the blogger Dieu Cay finally abandoned his hunger after 35 days on 27 July, when the Nghe An province prosecutor’s office acknowledged receipt of his letter complaining about prison conditions. The media freedom organization continues to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Dieu Cay, who is serving a 12-year sentence for anti-government propaganda, and the 34 other bloggers and netizens currently detained in Vietnam You too can demand the release of these 35 Vietnamese bloggers by signing this petition ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 07.23.2013 Appeal for support for blogger on hunger strike who could die Nguyen Van Hai, a blogger known by the pen-name of Dieu Cay who has been jailed since April 2008, has been on hunger strike for the past 31 days in protest against his prison conditions in the central province of Nghe An. His current state of health is grave and we fear the worst. Bui Thanh Hieu, a blogger also known as Nguoi Buon Gio (Windtrader), has given Reporters Without Borders an interview in which he voices concern about Dieu Cay’s health and describes how Dieu Cay’s family recently learned that he was on hunger strike. “Dieu Cay’s state of health calls for an urgent reaction from the international community, which must condemn the inhuman treatment he and his family are receiving from the Vietnamese authorities, and must do everything possible to obtain his release,” Reporters Without Borders said. “In the meantime, we urge embassies to support the attempts by Dieu Cay’s family to obtain permission to visit him regularly.” Arrested for posting articles critical of government policy on the banned “Free Journalists Club” website, Dieu Cay was sentenced on appeal on 28 December 2012 to 12 years in prison on a charge of anti-government propaganda under article 88 of the criminal code. Two other bloggers, Ta Phong Tan and Phan Thanh Hai (Anhbasaigon), were sentenced to 10 and three years in prison at the same time. See the interview that Bui Thanh Hieu gave to Reporters Without Borders on 19 July: