Vu Hung, Amnesty International appeal

Amnesty International has issued an Urgent Action notice on behalf of Vu Hung, a high-school physics teacher who was arrested Sept. 14, 2008 and has not been heard from since he was moved from his cell to B14 prison in Hanoi two months ago. He is reported to be in poor health from beatings during interrogations and a hunger strike he held to protest his treatment. Police also reportedly visited his family and asked them to sign an affadavit on his mental health, raising concerns about his ill-treatment.

Vu Hung is one of at least nine people arrested last September for demonstrating for blogger Dieu Cay and against a border agreement with China. It is reported they will be charged under Article 88 of Vietnam's penal code, which prohibits "conducting propaganda" against the goverment.

Vu Hung has been active in pro-democracy movements since 2006 and has suffered the consequences. He was among 14 people arrested for demonstrating against China when the Olympic torch relay passed through Ho Chi Minh City in April 2008. He lost his teaching job in July 2008 for his activism.

Amnesty International is asking that letters be written to various government officials expressing concern about the ill-treatment of Vu Hung and demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Vu Hung and his colleagues.

Source: Amnesty International Urgent Action notice Jan. 23.