Hanoi (AsiaNews) - The immediate release of those who have been unjustly arrested, the punishment of those responsible for beatings and violence against people participating peacefully in a prayer vigil, an end to the illegal claims over the property of the Redemptorists of Hanoi and of the parish of Thai Ha: these are the requests advanced by the Redemptorists and by parishioners in an urgent appeal presented to the state authorities, starting with the president of the republic and the prime minister.
In a letter dated August 29, the Catholics reconstruct the events of the previous evening, when "our parishioners were holding a peaceful prayer vigil (in the photo) at the gate of Department of Public Safety of Dong Da district, intending to request the department to comply with the law, ending illegal detention of innocent people and release those who were arrested during an illegal raid". "Many policemen from mobile units", the account continues, "had used electrical batons and others supporting tools to break down and assault the prayer vigil participants barbarously".
"As a result of this action", the appeal continues, "many parishioners suffered serious injuries. Others were beaten until losing consciousness. Many of them were taken away and to date still not accounted for". "The incident happened in broad daylight on the main road of Hanoi, and caused an outrage among not only our parishioners but also bystanders, those living in the vicinity of Thai Ha street who had witnessed savage treatments on religious civilians".
The appeal then calls for an end to the "unconstitutional and illegal claims" by the local authorities to the land belonging to the Redemptorists and to the parish of Thai Ha.
"We ask the government", the appeal concludes, "to stop these inhumane, brutal acts of violence as in what happened last night to those innocents. In justice and in truth we trust".