Nguyen Dan Que
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Dr. Nguyen Dan Que (born 1943/1944, also known as Nguyen Chau) 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".
In 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 29th 2004, Que was found guily 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.
References
- Human Rights Watch biography of Que (http://www.hrw.org/advocacy/internet/dissidents/3.htm)
- Press release from the official Vietnam state news agency on Que's conviction (http://www.vnagency.com.vn/newsA.asp?LANGUAGE_ID=2&CATEGORY_ID=29&NEWS_ID=111191)
- BBC News report on the conviction (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3935519.stm)
- OpinionJournal piece on Dr. Que's release (http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/cRosett/?id=110006390)
- Nguyen Dan Que freed from prison: IFEX (http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/64201)vi:Nguyễn Đan Quế