According to Vietnam Redemptorist News (VRN), a woman in Bac Lieu Province self-immolated to protest the government’s imprisonment of her daughter, a well-known blogger.
Mrs. Dang Thi Kim Lieng reportedly burnt herself in front of the provincial People’s Committee and was taken to the hospital.
Her daughter, Ms. Ta Phong Tan (45), was arrested last September and is presently detained without trial. She is a co-founder of the outlawed Free Journalists Club. Two other co-founders of the club are also in prison: Nguyen Van Hai (60) and Phan Thanh Hai (44). All three have been charged with “propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.”
All three are scheduled to stand trial coming August 7.
During her latest visit to Vietnam, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed concern about these imprisoned bloggers.
A son of Mrs. Lieng was arrested by the public security police after he visited her at the hospital.
Read more about the Free Journalists Club: http://www.fidh.org/Ongoing-arbitrary-detention-and,11665
