The campaign, part of Amnesty International’s new ‘Protect The Human’ initiative, involves SilverSurfers.net internet users from all over the UK sending email appeals directly to the Vietnamese authorities calling for the 50-year-old prisoner of conscience to be immediately released.

Nguyen Khac Toan, a mathematics teacher and businessman, was imprisoned in late 2002 after a trial lasting less than a day. His case is one of three “cyber dissidents” from Vietnam that Amnesty International is currently highlighting. Each of the three were imprisoned - after separate trials in 2002 and 2003 - for posting articles online about democracy, human rights and peaceful protects in Vietnam, or sending such information out of Vietnam.

Mr Toan’s “crime” had been to pass information via the internet to overseas Vietnamese groups about demonstrations held by farmers in Vietnam protesting against official corruption and land confiscation. Mr Toan also reportedly helped farmers’ representatives draft petitions to the government along the same lines.

His conviction for “spying” followed a trial that reportedly focused on the fact that during a two-month period he had sent 24 emails and two computer disks to an “exiled reactionary organisation” as well as making mobile phone contacts.

Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said:

“It is shocking that using the internet in Vietnam can be considered a crime and we are calling for internet users in the UK to stand up for justice by sending appeals for Mr Toan’s immediate release.

“The SilverSurfers.net link-up is a brilliant boost to our ‘Protect The Human’ initiative, which asks people to take a simple step to help people like Mr Toan.

“With a few clicks of the mouse internet users can send a powerful message on Mr Toan’s behalf.”

SilverSurfers.net Director Richard Wright said:

“SilverSurfers.net was established to make using the internet as easy as possible for the over-50s.

“It’s very appropriate that a website which gives its users freedom of the net should be championing the cause of a Silver Surfer who has been denied his freedom as a direct result of using the net.”

In preparing his defence Nguyen Khac Toan was only allowed to meet his lawyer on two occasions shortly before the trial itself. On both these occasions security guards were reportedly present preventing Nguyen Khac Toan and his lawyer from discussing the trial freely.

Mr Toan was sentenced to 12 years in prison and a further three years’ house arrest at the end of 12 years. He is currently detained at Ba Sao prison camp in Nam Ha province in northern Vietnam.

Notes

Amnesty International has launched the appeal for Nguyen Khac Toan via https://www.amnesty.org.uk/protect/action/vietnam.shtml

The other cases within this appeal are for:

Nguyen Vu Binh, 37, a journalist and writer, who was sentenced in 2003 to seven years’ imprisonment, plus three years’ house arrest on release. He is currently detained at Ba Sao prison camp in Nam Ha province in northern Vietnam.

Dr Pham Hong Son, 37, a businessman and medical doctor, who was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment in 2003 and a further three years’ house arrest. He is currently detained at Yen Dinh prison camp in Thanh Hoa province in northern Vietnam.

Amnesty International’s ‘Protect The Human’ initiative, launched on 17 October, is a new drive to get a million more people standing up for human rights in the UK.

The launch week (17-23 October) sees more than 1,000 parties for human rights around the UK, over 1,700 school assemblies on the subject of refugees, and a variety of interactive arts, film and music events.

SilverSurfers.net ( www.silversurfers.net was established in 1998 and is the leading UK-based directory for the over-50s.

SilverSurfers.net “provides the guiding hand that can bridge the gap between uncertainty and understanding, struggling and succeeding, confusion and clarity, interest and involvement, and most importantly of all between frustration and fun!”