Persecuted Prisoner Alert
Pham Ngoc Thach (pictured) is the latest Voice of the Martyrs prisoner highlighted on the Prisoner Alert website. Right now there have been 388 encouraging letters written to Pham. I want to encourage you to take just a few minutes to add to that number. The following is the complete information concerning his imprisonment.
An incident on March 2, 2004, near the Vietnam Mennonite church center in District 2, eventually resulted in the arrest of six church leaders, including evangelist Pham Ngoc Thach. It began when they attempted to report to local civil authorities they were being harassed by secret agents. After agents fled the scene, leaving a motorcycle behind, the church leaders insisted police conduct an official investigation. Many police arrived at the scene. There was scuffling, and Thach was knocked down, jumped on and kicked in the face. Police withdrew after arresting one man. Hearing this man was being beaten at the precinct police station, Thach and two others went to the police station to urge restraint. They, too, were arrested and imprisoned. Thach was kicked in the stomach, chest and groin by the police officers, leaving him unconscious. He suffered additional beatings during interrogation sessions in the following weeks. More than four months later, Thach's father was allowed his first visit with his son.
On November 15, 2004, at the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court, Thach was tried-along with the five others-on charges of interfering with persons carrying out their official duties. They all were convicted and sentenced to various prison terms with Thach receiving a two-year sentence.
An appeal filed on behalf of Quang and Thach was heard by the court April 12, 2005. The court upheld their convictions and sentences. A concerted international appeal for the release of these two men resulted in the government granting amnesty to Pastor Quang in late August 2005. Thach remains in prison, assigned to a unit breaking rocks into gravel and more recently digging graves when a prisoner dies.