- Nguyen Dan Que
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Nguyen Dan Que, M.D. (Vietnamese: Nguyễn Đan Quế; born between 1942 and 1944), also known as Nguyen Chau (Nguyễn Châu), is a Vietnamese endocrinologist and pro-democracy campaigner. He is one of the leading dissidents against the communist government in Vietnam.
Que's political activism dates back to the 1970s. He was first arrested in 1978, for criticising the Government. Following a period in prison without trial, Que was released and set up the High Tide Humanists group, which, according to Human Rights Watch, was a non-violent protest group aimed at bringing about social reform in Vietnam. Que was imprisoned again from 1990 to 1998. Human Rights Watch says that from then until 2003 he was under "virtual house arrest".
On March 17, 2003, Que was arrested for a third time. Four days previously Que had sent documents critical of the Vietnamese government over the internet to his brother in the United States. The documents endorsed US plans to fund ways of providing non-Governmental media and unmonitored internet access in the country.
On July 29, 2004, Que was found guilty of "abusing democratic rights to jeopardise the interests of the state, and the legitimate rights and interests of social organisations and citizens" by Ho Chi Minh People's Court. He was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment.
On February 2, 2005, International PEN reported that Nguyen Dan Que was granted amnesty on the occasion of the Vietnamese new year. He left his internment camp and went to Ho Chi Minh City.
Que was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award in 1995.
Following the Jasmine Revolutions in early 2011, Dr. Que posted an appeal on the internet for mass demonstrations in Vietnam. He was then detained by the authorities for "directly violating the stability and strength of the people's government". [1]
See also
References
Categories:- 1940s births
- Living people
- People of the Vietnam War
- Vietnamese democracy activists
- Vietnamese dissidents
- Vietnamese human rights activists
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