Free Chau Van Kham

15/06/2020

The wonderful people at Human Rights Watch have created these quote cards for use on social media.

The first lot are the original full size ones and the second lot have been resized for Twitter (because Twitter automatically chops off the top and bottom in previews).

Please use and share them widely on all social media with , and they are suitable as cover photos and profile pictures.

15/06/2020

Today citizen Chau Van Kham will have his 71st birthday alone in a prison in . His wife and children have not spoken with him since his arrest in January 2019; his wife longs simply to hear his voice. Read the new opinion piece by Human Rights Watch's Australia director, Elaine Pearson in The Canberra Times: https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/06/15/australian-government-must-step-save-its-own-citizen

14/06/2020

Today, 15 June, Chau Van Kham turns 71.

He will spend his birthday alone as a political prisoner, denied a fair trial and subject to the further human rights violations of denial of access, support and his medication.

Elaine Pearson from Human Rights Watch has written this excellent piece for The Canberra Times on the human rights issues in his case and why the Australian government must do more.

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6791905/the-australian-government-must-step-up-to-save-its-own-citizen/?cs=14258 .tab=0

Please share this article on your social media. If on Twitter, please use the hashtag .

Kham may be physically alone, but, today especially, please do your best to let his family know he really isn’t.

Given his age and medical condition he is at increased risk of serious illness. Australia's diplomats should demand Vietnam consider his humanitarian release an immediate priority.

09/06/2020

Thank you to everyone who has followed this page since it started and who is advocating for Chau Van Kham on social media and in letters to their MPs.

I wanted to give some insight into why this is so important because it’s easy to feel helpless in these situations and wonder what these measures are actually achieving.

The concept of “making noise” is not to directly prompt the Vietnamese government to do things differently, but to get the Australian government to advocate more strongly so they push the Vietnamese government harder.

Although we’d like to believe that governments do the right thing and advocate as strongly and forcefully as they can in situations of injustice, the fact is that they don’t. Kham’s case in particular is, frankly, a shocking abandonment of an Australian citizen. He has been publically ignored and we know that limited, if any, measures have been taken to secure his safety, let alone his release, by virtue of the fact that there was no access or medication for months and he was moved without prior information to the Australian government.

There are a myriad of reasons why governments don’t advocate as strongly as they should, both generally and specifically in each case. But the crucial aspect is that because we are a democracy, governments care about what their population thinks and wants. The more noise that is made the more they have to answer uncomfortable questions, the more the media holds them to account, and the more they have to worry about something becoming an election issue. Further, people in government are also human. The more noise around an issue the more they are simply reminded of it where they might otherwise put it on the backburner.

This is an excellent article on the distinctions in cases that is worth reading for more insight: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-07/why-do-some-australian-political-prisoners-get-more-attention/11769644

In Kham’s case, the Australian government clearly needs to be pushed on this issue. We also know that when foreign governments have properly advocated with Vietnam, it has made a difference and resulted in the release of prisoners.

One tweet, one FB Like, one letter, does not seem like much. But if 10,000 people tweet, Like and write then it is suddenly significant. This also has the capacity to create momentum and attract media and more high profile attention. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get any response to any of what you do - the important thing is that it is getting the word out there and increasing awareness. Everything you do IS making a difference even when you don’t know it.

In a single week in January, two Australian men were swiftly arrested in Asia. Both faced trumped-up charges of threatening national security in communist regimes. But they have received very different responses from the Australian Government.

09/06/2020

Denial of family contact and supplies is a common tactic employed by the Vietnamese government and authorities against political prisoners, to further punish them for their dissent.

Governments need to support their citizens. As brilliantly articulated by Jason Rezaian, who was inprisoned in Iran, it is a fundamental component of democracy that citizens believe they are supported by their government; without that democracy falls down.

As an Australian citizen, Chau Van Kham is entitled to his government’s support. And Australia must stand firm against human rights abuses, particularly matters such as arbitrary detention and the imprisonment of people for political dissent, which go against the rights of freedom of ideas, association and political dissent.

Kham did nothing other than exercise his rights on this, standing bravely in support of the fundamentals of democracy.

Australia cannot tolerate the continued and deliberate added abuse of its citizen. The government must act urgently and firmly to advocate for Kham’s release and to ensure in the meantime their access to Kham, his family’s access including phone calls, and consistent access to his medication. These human rights issues must be front and centre in any discussions with Vietnam.

https://the88project.org/newsletter-no-23/

Please sign the petition to urge the Australian government to act: https://www.change.org/p/scott-morrison-prime-minister-scott-morrison-reunite-chau-van-kham-with-his-family

The authorities have finished their investigation into Dinh Van Phu, who was arrested in January for his online posts. Locals arrested in the raid on D**g Tam Commune in January remain in pre-trial detention, are denied visits from their family, and have restrictions on what supplies they can receiv...

08/06/2020

**UPDATE** Kham’s sister and nephew visited the new prison today and managed to confirm he is safe and leave him food and medication.

We are very relieved to hear that Kham is OK (relatively speaking).

However, it should not take 4 months to confirm Kham’s safety nor should it be left to families to deal directly with prison authorities on an ad hoc basis. We don’t know, for example, why Kham’s sister was told he was no longer at the prison in Ho Chi Minh City in May.

The Australian government needs to do more to secure regular access to Kham, both consular and family, and ensure he has his medication consistently. They must also work as a priority to secure his release, particularly given his age and ill health.

Please sign the petition https://www.change.org/p/scott-morrison-prime-minister-scott-morrison-reunite-chau-van-kham-with-his-family

Please also continue to post on Twitter using and to comment on and like posts on this page so others in your Facebook community see them.

And please please write to your Federal MPs advocating for more support for Kham. https://www.facebook.com/103210378088939/posts/111082813968362/?d=n

Help release Australian human rights advocate Chau Van Kham from the Vietnamese Government

07/06/2020

Chau Van Kham’s disappearance inside the Vietnamese prison system is of grave concern.

Kham is 70 years old (nearly 71) and in ill health, requiring essential medication as per medical professionals’ recommendations. He has been hospitalized several times since his arrest in January 2019. His sister was last able to provide him with this medication in February.

Although Vietnamese authorities have stated he has been moved, there has been no direct contact with Kham since this visit in February. The last consular access was in January and there have been no phone calls since his arrest. There is no direct confirmation of his whereabouts. Given his sister was told at her last visit that he was no longer at the prison in Ho Chi Minh City, but the Vietnamese authorities only claimed he was moved to Ham Tan on 1 June, this is extremely concerning.

“My father is of old age now without any forms of communication to the outside world, I worry not only for his health but his mental state … it frightens me how he’s doing inside.

“He’s now on a long journey until his release with no support from the Australian government at all, it seems like they’ve forgotten about him.

“With a 12-year sentence, he’ll be 82 when he is released ... I don’t believe I’ll ever see him alive, a free man. It’s effectively a death sentence.

“No communication of any sort, and now to make things even harder for us, moving him further away.

“My mother is handling as best she can. I know she misses him and would like him back as soon as possible.”

- Dennis Chau

Kham is a human rights advocate and political prisoner. It is unconscionable that he is imprisoned at all, let alone that he is completely cut off from his family and consular support, and denied necessary life saving medication.

Please help us get the Australian government to act to confirm Kham’s whereabouts, establish direct and consistent access and contact with his family, ensure he has his medication, and ultimately secure his release to reunite him with his family.

Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/scott-morrison-prime-minister-scott-morrison-reunite-chau-van-kham-with-his-family

Tweet using

Comment and like posts on this page so they appear in your news feed where others will see them.

Join the letter writing campaign to Federal MPs: https://m.facebook.com/103210378088939/posts/111082813968362/?d=n

07/06/2020

In light of the disappearance of Kham, we are asking people to please write to their Federal MPs about this matter to urge them to act as a matter of urgency to resolve this situation.

LETTER WRITING
Please make sure you write to your Federal MP, not your State MP. It is a priority to write to your Member of the House of Representatives, but you can also write to Senators if you think they may be a good advocate for the issue. Details of how to find your Federal MP are below.

Members should be addressed as “Dear Mr/Ms/Mrs SURNAME” and Senators as “Dear Senator”. Please be polite, ensure you identify yourself in the letter and include your contact details, and provide some information about the matter so the recipient understands who you are writing about and why.

It is always best to write in your own words so MPs know you take this matter seriously, but a sample letter is included below in this post to assist understanding the issues and how to write, and can be modified if you are stuck. Please also feel free to contact the page directly if you need assistance or have any questions.

While we must continue to advocate for Kham’s release from prison because he is a political prisoner, the immediate priority is for the Australian government to ensure his safety via better advocacy with the Vietnamese authorities and support of him. Specifically, we would like the consulate to:
- establish his whereabouts directly via a visit or via a phone call in which they speak to him;
- ensure he has secure ongoing access to his medication, preferably through the consulate but can also be through his sister if need be;
- establish regular consular visitation either in person or speaking to him directly on the phone;
- work to ensure his sister can visit him and his family can have phone contact with him.
These should be emphasised in your letter.

IF you feel confident opening a discussion with your MP, please feel free to ask them specific questions (politely) or to ask that they phone you. However, the most important thing is that you show your support for Kham and that his situation is important to you.

BACKGROUND:
This excellent article by Ben Doherty at The Guardian has a lot of in depth information about Kham’s case. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/07/jailed-australian-democracy-activist-has-disappeared-inside-vietnams-prison-system

In terms of the current situation:

When Kham’s sister attempted to visit him at the prison in Ho Chi Minh City in early May, she was told he was no longer at the prison. After several weeks the Vietnamese authorities informed Australia that Kham had been moved to a prison in Ham Tan 3 hours away. There has been no direct contact with Kham since his sister’s last successful visit in February. The last consular access was in January and there has been no phone contact since his arrest. We are extremely concerned Australia has not directly confirmed Kham’s whereabouts and that there was no discussion about his move until after it happened.

Also of extreme concern is that Kham’s sister was last able to provide him his medication in February. Given his age and health issues, the medication is essential, and he has now been without it for almost four months. The medication is under professional advice from an Australian doctor. The Australian consulate has refused (without reason) to provide Kham’s medication to the Vietnamese authorities, and has not been able to ensure his sister can get it to him. It is imperative that Kham have his medication, and this needs to be rectified immediately.

FINDING YOUR FEDERAL MP
You can find your Federal MP at this link by entering your postcode or suburb in the search bar towards the bottom of the page. https://www.aph.gov.au/senators_and_members/guidelines_for_contacting_senators_and_members
This will take you to a list of your representatives. It is preferable to start with your Member of the House of Representatives, which will be the first name in the list, but you can also write to Senators. If you click on the name and then click the “Connect” Tab just underneath, it should provide you with the Member’s email address. If not, a google search should give you their website details or you can call the Electorate Office to get the appropriate email address.

Thank you for supporting Chau Van Kham.

07/06/2020

Where is Chau Van Kham?

When Kham’s sister attempted to visit Kham to provide him with essential money, food and medication in early May, she was told he was no longer at the prison. It was weeks later, on 2 June, that the consulate and family were informed that Kham had been moved to another prison in Ham Tan, 3 hours away from Ho Chi Minh City.

The last consular access was in January and Kham’s sister’s last successful visit was in February. There has been no direct phone contact and the Vietnamese authorities have denied requests for this.

Where is he?

Kham’s family hold grave concerns for him given the lack of direct contact and his health issues.

Kham has now been without his essential medication for 4 months, and there is no guarantee on when either his sister or the consulate will be able to provide it to him.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/07/jailed-australian-democracy-activist-has-disappeared-inside-vietnams-prison-system

If you are on Twitter, please post using to raise awareness of Chau Van Kham’s situation.

The Australian government must act immediately to obtain direct contact with Kham and ensure his safety and work to secure his release.

Please also sign and share the petition to support Kham. https://www.change.org/p/scott-morrison-prime-minister-scott-morrison-reunite-chau-van-kham-with-his-family

Chau Van Kham’s family has lost contact with him for nearly four months and fear the Australian government has ‘forgotten about him’