Thich Huyen Quang of Viet Nam

Group 141’s current adopted prisoner of conscience is The Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, the 82-year-old Supreme Patriarch of the unofficial Unified Buddhist Church of Viet Nam (UBCV). His outspoken defense of human rights and in particular the right to practice religion freely has resulted in his being in conflict with the Vietnamese authorities for the last 20 years. Thich Huyen Quang has spent much of the time since 1977 under house arrest. His most recent arrest took place in December 1994, around the same time that other UBCV members were arrested for trying to organize relief distribution to victims of flooding in the Mekong Delta without official authorization.

Initially charged with “sabotaging the policy of national solidarity,” the authorities decided not to bring him to trial “because of his age and state of health.” He was sent to an isolated pagoda where he is currently under strict house arrest. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance was prevented from meeting him during his October 1998 visit to Viet Nam. He reportedly continues to be subjected to harassment and questioning about his activities by local security officials. He is reportedly in poor health, and not provided with adequate health care. Efforts by other Buddhists to arrange for his travel to Ho Chi Minh City for hospital treatment have been blocked by the authorities.

Amnesty International considers the Venerable Thich Huyen Quang to be a prisoner of conscience detained under house arrest solely because of the non-violent expression of his religious and political beliefs. He has not used or advocated violence. Amnesty International calls for his immediate and unconditional release.

Write a Letter

You can write your own letter, using the information below, or print out the sample letter written by our case coordinator. Please refer to Amnesty International’s letter–writing guide before writing to any of the addresses below.

Sample letter

Amnesty International Letter–Writing Guide

Points to Raise in the Letter

Start by summarizing the case of Thich Huyen Quang, stating that AI considers him to be a prisoner of conscience and is calling for his immediate and unconditional release from house arrest.

Note that Thich Huyen Quang has never used or advocated violence, nor committed any recognizably criminal act, but that he has been detained under house arrest since 1982 solely because of his dissenting religious beliefs.

Note that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Viet Nam is a signatory, guarantee the rights to freedom of religion, and opinion and expression.

Express concern that Thich Huyen Quang is elderly and in poor health, reportedly suffering from high blood pressure, arthritis, and stomach problems.

Ask for assurances that he is being allowed to receive adequate food and appropriate medical care.

Ask for information about the reason for his continued detention under house arrest, and for copies of any relevant legal documentation. Please address your letters to one or more of the following government officials: