Advocates for human rights urge the liberation of the Vietnamese protestor.
Approximately 30 international human rights organizations have petitioned Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to free Vietnamese activist Le Quoc Quan. Quan is scheduled for extradition to Vietnam on terrorism charges, and faces potential torture upon return. Amnesty International and 31 other organizations alerted Chan-o-cha in a letter, cautioning that Quan's return to Vietnam may lead to torture.
Quan was apprehended in Bangkok in June while attempting to seek refuge in Canada. A Vietnamese court had handed down an 11-year prison sentence to him in absentia back in January for establishing the organization "Montagnards Stand for Justice" and alleged terrorism links to government protests.
Quan sought asylum in Thailand to escape persecution in Vietnam, a country with a notorious history of mistreating the predominantly Christian Montagnard minority. A Bangkok court authorized his extradition in September, but Quan has since lodged an appeal.
In their collective correspondence, the human rights groups stressed the UN human rights experts' concerns regarding the political nature of Quan's trial. Thailand's recent election to the UN Human Rights Council presents a significant responsibility to safeguard human rights. Pornchaiwat Phuthiratsakul of the Cross Cultural Foundation identified Quan's case as a critical test for Thailand in this regard.
A spokesperson for Chan-o-cha confirmed that the prime minister has yet to receive the letter and declined to offer any comment on the circumstances.
The potential torture that Le Quoc Quan might face upon his extradition to Vietnam is a concern raised by Amnesty International and other human rights organizations. The UN human rights experts have expressed concerns about the political nature of Quan's trial due to his alleged involvement with "Montagnards Stand for Justice" and government protests.
