Amnesty International protests arrest of Olympic protesters

Amnesty International protested the arrest of at least 14 individuals demonstrating against the Olympic torch relay in Vietnam en route to China. At least twelve demonstrators were arrested in Ho Chi Minh city during the relay, while more arrests took place in Hanoi, it said. Also, "In the days leading up to the torch relay, at least three people were arrested, including Nguyen Hoang Hai, a journalist and blogger who had featured articles about protests against China's international policies."

Amnesty is concerned about the ongoing crackdown on dissent over the last two years, which has targeted "lawyers, trade unionists, religious leaders and Internet dissidents with links to emerging pro-democracy groups." It called on Vietnamese authorities to "urgently investigate allegations of beatings against those detained, and ensure their safety and wellbeing."

Source: Amnesty International press release May 1.