Following is the statement from Norwegian Parliamentarian Lars Rise on the
arrest of Father Nguyen Van Ly. Mr. Rise, a long-time human rights advocate,
had recently visited Father Ly and other religious leaders in Vietnam.

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Press Release Oslo, May 18 2001

"The arrest of Father Nguyen Van Ly on May 17, 2001 by the Vietnamese authorities is a blatant violation of human rights. According to news reports, over 600 security personnel surrounded the An Truyen church, beat worshippers, and forcibly removed the Catholic priest. This action demonstrates both a disregard for human rights and the government's callousness toward its own citizens", says Lars Rise who is a member of parliament in Norway and also member of the parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. On the 9th of April he was arrested himself while visiting with Father Ly in his church as about 100 police officers surrounded the church. He was kept for two days before he was escorted to the airport to be sent out of the country.

- "I had the honor of meeting Father Ly in his church in An Truyen during my trip to Vietnam in April. He is a brave man with a strong faith in God and the value of freedom. I have followed his writings which have advocated for basic liberties, including independent religious worship," Mr. Rise says.

- "During my trip to Vietnam I had also the experience of being forcibly taken away from An Truyen by security police. As much as this was a personal shock for me, it was even more an example of the depths at which the Vietnamese authorities repress individuals who hold different views."

- "I was happy to learn from Father Ly and the Venerables Thich Thien Hanh and Thich Thai Hoa, both of whom I had met, that Vietnamese religious leaders have organized an Inter-religious Council (Hoi Dong Lien Ton Doan Ket Quoc Noi Viet Nam) to advance their common demand. Now, especially, is the time to bring attention to the Vietnamese government's record on religious rights and to work for the freedom of all religions in Vietnam."

- "I join with the international community in calling for the immediate and unconditional freedom of Father Nguyen Van Ly and that of other religious leaders currently detained in Vietnam," says Lars Rise.

Lars Rise

Member of Parliament Norway Stortinget Karl Johans gt. 22 N-0026 Oslo, Norway
Tel: +47 23 31 31 92 - Fax: +47 23 31 38 55