Bloc 8406 (Vietnamese: Khối 8406) is a small unified coalition of political groups in Vietnam that advocates for democratic reforms in Vietnam. It is named after the date of the group's Manifesto on Freedom and Democracy for Vietnam 2006 (Vietnamese: Tuyên Ngôn Tự Do Dân Chủ Cho Việt Nam 2006) declaring the need for democratic reforms in Vietnam. The manifesto was issued on 8 April 2006 and was signed by 118 dissidents calling for a multiparty state.[1] The support later grew into the thousands.[2]

Bloc 8406
Khối 8406
Founded8th April, 2006
IdeologyLiberalism
Multi-party Democracy

Notable Bloc 8406 members edit

Roman Catholic priest Nguyen Van Ly was sentenced to eight years in prison on March 30, 2007, for his support of the group's manifesto.[3] He was released in 2011, but then he was returned to prison that same year.[4]

Lawyer and labor activist Tran Quoc Hien was accused of being a part of Bloc 8406 in his 2007 trial that led to a five-year prison sentence for "endangering state security".[5] He also posted articles critical to the government online, such as "The Tail", a description of life under Vietnamese secret police (MPS) surveillance.[5]

Former Communist Party official Vi Duc Hoi joined the Bloc after leaving the party in 2007.[6] He was imprisoned in 2011 for "spreading anti-government propaganda" after posting copies of pro-democracy articles online.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ "Vietnam clamps down on democracy activists". United Press International. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  2. ^ Shawn W. Crispin (14 September 2006). "Heed the call of Vietnam's Bloc 8406". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 19 October 2006. Retrieved 21 July 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ Nguyen Van Tranh (30 March 2007). "Catholic Priest, Fr. Nguyen Van Ly, condemned to 8 years in prison". Asia News. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  4. ^ "Vietnam: Father Nguyen Van Ly Should Remain Free". Human Rights Watch. 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2019-08-15.
  5. ^ a b Not yet a workers' paradise: Vietnam's suppression of the independent workers' movement. Human Rights Watch. 2009. p. 24. ISBN 9781564324764. Retrieved 18 January 2012.
  6. ^ "Viet Nam activist prison sentence condemned". Amnesty International. 26 April 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
  7. ^ "Vietnamese dissident sentenced to 8 years in jail". Fox News. Associated Press. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2012.

External links edit