Norwegian human rights advocate interrogated in Vietnam last night

Last night the Norwegian human rights advocate Kieu Tran was brought in for questioning by the Vietnamese authorities. Tran acted as an interpreter on Thursday this week when Therese Jebsen, representative of the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights in Bergen, Norway, visited last year´s Rafto Human Rights Prize laureate, venerable Thich Quang Do, together with Tom Rune Orset, a journalist from the Norwegian TV2. (17-MAR-07)

The buddhist munk, 77 year old venerable Thich Quang Do, has been fighting for human rights and democracy in Vietnam his entire life, and so he is being kept in house arrest in Saigon. This is the second time this week that the Norwegian delegation was questioned by the police. The first time was on Thursday, when the three persons visited Venerable Quang Do to give him the Rafto Diploma. Venerable Quang Do was not allowed to travel to Bergen to receive the prize last November.

-It seems that they know very well who I am
During the first interrogation on Thursday, only Jebsen, right, from the Rafto Foundation was questioned. During the interrogation this morning, the authorities focused on Kieu Tran. She was told that she had broken the immigration law because she had stated that she came from Norway to Vietnam as a tourist. Tran says that she was well treated and that she was given assurances from the police that this would not cause any consequences for her or anyone in her family. Therese Jebsen and Tom Rune Orset were also called to the police station today to sign a declaration stating that they too had broken the immigration law. During the two interrogations, the police have not asked the journalist from the Norwegian TV2 a single question. – It is odd, but it seems that they know very well who I am and that they therefore try to avoid too much conflict with us, Orset says.

-Mr Quang Do does not fight for democracy
A representative from the Norwegian embassy, left, was present during the questioning of Kieu Tran today. Jebsen asked for a thorough explanation why their visit to venerable Quang Do was regarded as an unlawful act, considering the fact that the Vietnamese authorities have declared that he is “leading his life and practicing religion in normalcy” in the Thanh Minh Zen Monastery in Saigon. She was told that Mr Quang Do does not fight for democracy, but is actively working against the interests of Vietnam. The police in Saigon were eager to get a confirmation by the Norwegian delegation that they had been treated fairly and politely by the police and that their conversation had been open and honest.

For further information please contact:
Mr. Arne L. Lynngård
Chairman of the Board
The Rafto Foundation
Cellular phone: +47 951 52 290