detained late Wednesday, February 21, dissidents and BosNewsLife established.
"We are sorry that the Vietnam Communist secret police have messed us with their fake news," said Viet Si, the spokesman of the dissidents group International Movement for Democracy and Human Rights in Vietnam. BosNewsLife and its affiliates were among
the first to report on the arrests Monday, February 19 of officials from the anti-Communist Vietnam Progression Party (VPP).
"As of now Feb 21, [VPP President] Nguyen Phong and [VPP Technical Director] Nguyen Binh Thanh, still have been detained at police headquarter of Thua Thien, 1st Tran Quang Khai St., City of Hue, Vietnam. VPP Secretary General Hoang thi Anh Dao is also still in police custody at 42 Hung Vuong Street, City of Hue," Viet Si said.
He said that international pressure of world political leaders and media, including BosNewsLife and its affiliates have played "a major role in helping release" political and religious dissidents in the past. "That’s why we have to voice out our pleas immediately when our defenseless dissidents are arrested and or detained," he added.
Vietnamese officials were not immediately available to explain the apparent confusion over the release of the dissidents. There has also been concern over the arrest and detention of Christians, including priests and hundreds of Degar Montagnard Christians, human rights groups said.
