On June 12, he attended a meeting held by Veto! to thank the German Parliament, especially Congresswoman Marie Luise of CDU, who sponsored and campaigned for his release while he was in prison. He also visited the German Parliament building and met with Heiko Maas, German’s Foreign Minister. On the morning of June 13, the federal judge organized the Human Rights Award 2017 reception for him. This is a noble award given every two years to judges and lawyers who dedicate themselves to the protection of human rights.
Dai also shared how he feels about his departure from Vietnam, “Before I was arrested on December 16, 2015, my family and I never intended to leave Vietnam, where I was born and raised. But the sentence of 15 years in prison and five years of house arrest is too long. I will never plead guilty, which means I will have to spend 15 years in prison and I can’t do anything or contribute to the fight for human rights and will not be able to help my family. I leave the communist prison and go to Germany not for the pursuit of happiness for myself and my family, but for a temporary refuge to seek the best opportunity to mobilize and fight for freedom, democracy, and human rights in Vietnam.”
He continued, “Today, in this flat world with internet, social networking and technology 4.0, whether we are in Hanoi, Berlin, London, or Washington, the struggle for freedom, democracy and human rights in Southern Vietnam is equally effective. The level of effectiveness, success and influence of each person depends on his or her ability, capacity, vision, and experience. Now, I still have [an] 83-year-old mother and many relatives there. Many of my beloved friends are still imprisoned, oppressed and harassed in the country. My heart and mind are always on my beloved motherland, where it is anti-democratic and human rights are severely abused.”
He went on to say, “Together with Brotherhood for Democracy, I will do all I can to support, support and support those who are fighting for human rights in the country. I believe that with faith, experience, bravery, international support and especially the guidance and blessing of God, I will be able to fulfill the dream of freedom together with others, democracy and human rights for the Vietnamese people. Once again, I sincerely thank you and wish you good health, peace and happiness to all. I look forward to receiving the cooperation, coordination and assistance from people, organizations for the common struggle for freedom and human rights for the fatherland and its people.”
Dai and his wife Vu Minh Khanh have already found a Vietnamese church in Frankfurt. They are in the process of applying for asylum while learning German as none of them speak the language.
Please continue to pray for them as they adjust to life in Germany and for the asylum process to go smoothly. Pray for them to be able to enjoy freedom without harassment, worship freely, recover from years of stress and fatigue, while they continue to advocate for human rights and democracy in Vietnam from afar.
For interviews with Gina Goh, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected]