Vietnam denies visa for Norwegian to award Buddhist monk
A Norwegian human rights group says Vietnam has blocked its planned visit to a Buddhist monk and democracy activist held under house arrest in HCM City.
The Rafto Foundation last year awarded its annual prize to Thich Quang Do “for his courage and perseverance through three decades of peaceful opposition against the communist regime in Vietnam.”
The monk’s supporters say he had opted not to travel to Norway to pick up the prize because of fears the Hanoi government would force him into exile.
The Rafto Foundation says it has received a letter from the Vietnamese embassy saying the long-planned visit would not be possible and accusing it of harming relations between Norway and Vietnam.
Category: Society
