Le Hong Ha and Ha Si Phu were detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, through their peaceful political activities, they allegedly had in their possession copies of a letter written by Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet to members of the Politburo in 1995, in which he called for both political and economic reforms and changes to the Vietnamese legal system. While Ha Si Phu was released on 4 December 1996 after completion of his sentence, Amnesty International believes that Le Hong Ha is a prisoner of concience and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.
