The Vietnam Journalists’ Association on Jan. 8 condemmed physical attacks on three of its members this week.
In the most serious case, reporter Tran The Dung was under treatment after being seriously beaten while gathering information reports about poultry smuggling in the northern province of Lang Son.
“Nguoi Lao Dong” (Labourer newspaper) reporter Dung visited Keo Kham village, a place considered a smuggling hotspot for fowl imported from China to Vietnam.
There, Dung took photos of lorries carrying poultry through the Huu Nghi border gate between Vietnam and China.
When the reporter settled for a while for a teashop, he was told to join a local in the street.
Dung said he was attacked by seven or eight men on road while about 50 others ignored his plea for help.
According to Lang Son Hospital, where Dung was taken to, he had suffered multiple injuries to his chest, stomach and ribs.
Nguyen Trung Truc, Cao Loc district’s police head, rejected the claim that there was a relationship existed between the smugglers and the local police, and underlined his commitment to investigating the assault.
On the same day, two other reporters from Tien Phong newspaper were attacked in the central province of Ha Tinh when investigating a case of illegal land croachment in Ky Tho commune.
Reporter Vo Minh Chau was knocked out and taken to the provincial hospital while Minh Thuy was chased by the two men with knives. Local people intervened in the assault.
Le Quoc Trung, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association, condemned the attacks.
His association also asked local police, authorities and association branches to protect reporters and publicise the cases.
Trung said that journalists had the right to be protected.
The secretary of the Party committee of Lang Son province, Phung Thanh Kiem, said investigations were ongoing./.
In the most serious case, reporter Tran The Dung was under treatment after being seriously beaten while gathering information reports about poultry smuggling in the northern province of Lang Son.
“Nguoi Lao Dong” (Labourer newspaper) reporter Dung visited Keo Kham village, a place considered a smuggling hotspot for fowl imported from China to Vietnam.
There, Dung took photos of lorries carrying poultry through the Huu Nghi border gate between Vietnam and China.
When the reporter settled for a while for a teashop, he was told to join a local in the street.
Dung said he was attacked by seven or eight men on road while about 50 others ignored his plea for help.
According to Lang Son Hospital, where Dung was taken to, he had suffered multiple injuries to his chest, stomach and ribs.
Nguyen Trung Truc, Cao Loc district’s police head, rejected the claim that there was a relationship existed between the smugglers and the local police, and underlined his commitment to investigating the assault.
On the same day, two other reporters from Tien Phong newspaper were attacked in the central province of Ha Tinh when investigating a case of illegal land croachment in Ky Tho commune.
Reporter Vo Minh Chau was knocked out and taken to the provincial hospital while Minh Thuy was chased by the two men with knives. Local people intervened in the assault.
Le Quoc Trung, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association, condemned the attacks.
His association also asked local police, authorities and association branches to protect reporters and publicise the cases.
Trung said that journalists had the right to be protected.
The secretary of the Party committee of Lang Son province, Phung Thanh Kiem, said investigations were ongoing./.
