- Title: VIETNAM: VIETNAM FREES NEARLY 8,000 CONVICTS IN CLEMENCY DEAL
- Date: 31st January 2005
- Summary: (BN08) NAM HA PROVINCE, VIETNAM (FEBRUARY 1, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. SLV/SV OF PRISONERS AT HA NAM PRISON WALKING TO CEREMONY TO MARK THEIR RELEASE (2 SHOTS) 0.08 2. LV/SV OF PRISON OFFICIALS AND PRISONERS AT CEREMONY (2 SHOTS) 0.16 3. MCU PRISONERS SHAKING HANDS TO BID EACH OTHER FAREWELL 0.21 4. MCU CHILD WITH FLOWERS 0.22 5. MCU/SLV OF PRISONERS CHANGING OUT OF PRISON GARB (3 SHOTS) 0.41 6. SV/CU OF FATHER THADEUS NGUYEN VAN LY SIGNING RELEASE DOCUMENTS (2 SHOTS) 0.49 7. MCU/CU/SV OF FATHER THADEUS NGUYEN VAN LY TALKING TO PRISON OFFICIALS/SHAKING HANDS (4 SHOTS) 1.20 8. CU/SLV OF LY'S LUGGAGE (2 SHOTS) 1.26 9. PAN/CU OF PRISONERS AWAITING RELEASE (2 SHOTS) 1.41 10. SV OF LY'S RELEASE (3 SHOTS) 1.54 (BN08) THANH XUAN PROVINCE, VIETNAM (FEBRUARY 1, 2005) (REUTERS) 11. CU SIGN OF THANH XUAN PRISON 1.57 12. PAN/CU OF FEMALE PRISONERS AT RELEASE CEREMONY (2 SHOTS) 2.07 13. SV PRISON GUARDS SEATED 2.10 14. SV/MCU OF MALE PRISONERS AT RELEASE CEREMONY (2 SHOTS) 2.20 15. LV PRISON OFFICIALS AT CEREMONY 2.23 16. MCU PRISONER FROM SOUTH KOREA STANDING AND THEN SITTING DOWN 2.29 17. MCU PRISONER FROM LAOS STANDING AND THEN SITTING DOWN 2.35 18. MCU PRISONER FROM CHINA STANDING AND THEN SITTING DOWN 2.39 19. SLV OF CEREMONY 2.42 20. SV MORE OF MALE PRISONERS BEING RELEASED 2.46 21. SLV/SV OF FEMALE PRISONERS BEING RELEASED (2 SHOTS) 2.56 22. SLV/SV/MCU PRISONERS WAITING/ SEATED DOWN (3 SHOTS) 3.07 23. SLV/CU/SV PRISONERS AND OFFICIALS WAITNG/ PRISON OFFICIALS HANDING OUT TRANSPORT MONEY TO RELEASED PRISONERS TO MAKE THEIR WAY HOME (3 SHOTS) 3.18 24. SLV OF PRISONERS AND RELATIVES WAITING (4 SHOTS) 3.35 25. MCU (Vietnamese) RELEASED PRISONER, NGUYEN PHI BHUY, SAYING: "We have committed crimes once and we recognise that it was wrong. We hope the people in the community will open their arms and welcome us back now." 3.48 (BN08) HANOI, VIETNAM (JANUARY 30, 2005) (REUTERS) 26. LV RELEASED PRISONERS AT PARK 3.52 27. MCU PRISON OFFICIALS 3.56 28. SLV/SV OF RELEASED PRISONERS RECEIVING RELEASE DOCUMENTS (4 SHOTS) 4.12 29. MCU (Vietnamese) RELEASED PRISONER SAYING: "I am very happy. (Reporter asks how long have you been in prison?) I have spent four years in prison but with this amnesty, I can get to go home three years earlier."/RELEASED PRISONER LEAVING ON MOTORBIKE 4.28 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 15th February 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NAM HA PROVINCE, THANH XUAN PROVINCE AND HANOI, VIETNAM
- Country: Vietnam
- Reuters ID: LVA8R6ZS5C0U3MQ8FWCC2SZI02FL
- Story Text: Vietnam frees nearly 8,500 convicts, including
prominent dissidents and foreigners, in clemency deal.
Vietnam has started to free nearly 8,500 prisoners
on Monday (January 31) as part of traditional pardons
granted during Lunar New Year celebrations in February.
Officials said Hanoi will grant clemency to 8,428
convicts including 33 foreigners from the United States,
Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, China and Malaysia this
week.
On Tuesday (February 1), it freed outspoken Catholic
priest Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly, whose release has long been
sought by human rights groups and diplomats.
Ly, 58, walked out of a prison in the northern town of
Ba Sao in plain clothes after being finger printed. He was
taken to his home in the central province of Thue Thien-Hue
in a car hired by the police.
Ly, who accused the government of interfering in church
activities, was charged with undermining national unity and
sentenced in 2001 to 15 years in jail plus 5 years of house
arrest.
His jail term was halved last year when officials cited
his "good attitude and conduct" in prison 80 km (50 miles)
south of the capital, Hanoi.
Ly was the fifth prominent political dissident freed
this week as part of a traditional amnesty ahead of Lunar
New Year celebrations next week.
Some prisoners said they hope society would have a
place for them after their release.
"We have committed crimes once and we recognise that it
was wrong. We hope the people in the community will open
their arms and welcome us back now," said Nguyen Phi Bhuy.
Foreign governments welcomed the release of dissidents.
"The United States welcomes the planned release of
these prisoners of conscience," U.S. State Department
spokesman Richard Boucher said in a statement.
"The United States urges the government of Vietnam to
permit these and other individuals to express their
political views freely and to practice religion
peacefully," he said.
Vietnam denies accusations by rights groups that it
represses human rights. It allows the practice of six
religions, including Catholicism, but insists on vetting
all aspects of their operations, including leadership
appointments.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
