Thai Binh police arrest former lieutenant colonel Tran Anh Kim

CTV Danlambao * Translated by Như Ngọc - Thai Binh police recently carried out a search and arrested Mr. Tran Anh Kim, a former lieutenant colonel of the People's Army of Vietnam who has often criticized the totalitarian dictatorship.

Talking to Danlambao, his wife Nguyen Thi Thom said the arrest occurred on September 21, 2015 at their home in Thai Binh. There has been over 24 hours but the family has not received any notification from the police.

Mr. Tran, 66, was previously sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in prison for allegedly plotting “activities to overthrow the government”.

Released from prison in early 2015, he has been subject to 3 years of probation; however, he has strongly voiced his objection and condemnation of the communist dictatorship in Vietnam.

Convening wife to arrest husband

In recent months, police have closely monitored Mr. Tran’s residence at 502, Group 10, Tran Hung Dao Ward, Thai Binh City.

Around 9:30 a.m. police summoned his wife Nguyen Thi Thom at her working place and confined her at Tran Hung Dao Ward police station until 5 p.m. on September 21, 2015.

Returning home, she found the door locked. At that moment, a security agent immediately appeared and gave the key to the “people’s group leader” to open it.

She entered the house and found that many items such as computer, phone, camera and printer were missing. The cabinets were also ransacked.

According to witnesses, while she was not at home, police stormed her home, arrested her husband and took him away.

Mr. Tran Anh Kim finished serving a sentence of 5 years and 6 months in prison in early 2015.

Using prisoners of conscience to bargain

While Mrs. Nguyen was still in a shocking mood, tens of police continued to arbitrarily storm into the house to conduct a second search.

She recounted: "They invited all police to come in, a lot of them. I counted up to sixty police inside the house and standing outside. They read an order accusing Mr. Tran’s computer contains the call for something. They said there is evidence for arresting him and searching the house."

Mrs. Nguyen had spoken out against the abusive actions of police. She also refused to sign any police reports. However, the search was still conducted and police signed the reports themselves.

After ransacking the house, police took away a few more household items including Mrs. Nguyen’s cell phone.

Currently, the family does not know where Mr. Tran is detained or his condition.

The arrest and arbitrary detention happened at the time the communist regime released and deported blogger Ta Phong Tan to the United States.

Releasing one then arresting another person are the tactics that the Vietnamese communist regime deliberately uses in order to bargain with the U.S. at the cost of the lives of prisoners of conscience.