Half a million Vietnamese Catholics joined in huge protests demanding the justice for victims who were beaten brutally by police in a central coastal province of Vinh.

At 7 am local time on Sunday morning, 170 priests and 420 women religious led 500,000 Catholics of Vinh Diocese and neighboring dioceses in peaceful protests held at 19 deaneries. The event is seen as the most crowded ever religious protest in Vietnam, VietCatholic reports.

The protestors were demanding the immediate release of their brothers and sisters who were beaten in a violent police raid on Monday and have been since then jailed.

During the incident, police fired teargas at parishioners, who were erecting a Cross and patios on the grounded of the bombed Tam Toa church, before kicking and beating them brutally with stun guns, and batons. 18 were thrown into police trucks. Seven are still behind the bar and risk being prosecuted.

Police have charged Catholic activists of “counter-revolutionary crimes, violating state policies on Americans’ War Crimes Memorial Sites, disturbing public order, and attacking officials-on-duty,” state-run media outlets reported.

In the wake of fierce attacks from state media, on July 24, 2009, the Diocese of Vinh Diocese issued a statement rebuffing accusations from Vietnam government.

“Parishioners of Tam Toa did not violate the laws when they built patios on the ground of Tam Toa church. Up till now, Tam Toa church premise, and its bell tower still remain in the ownership of Tam Toa parish of the diocese of Vinh,” said the statement demanding the government to “stop immediately the distortion of truth, the defamation of religion, and the instigation of hatred between Catholics and non-Catholics.”

“We have enough evidence to state that the police of Quang Binh had beaten our faithful before arresting them illegally. Police seized our Cross and confiscated other Church properties as well as our faithful’s ones,” the statement said.

On July 22, 2009, the People’s Committee of Quang Binh province summonsed representatives of the Bishop’s Office and the College of Vinh Diocese to discuss the “the situation of Catholic activities on the area”. The orders were rejected.

“While our Cross - a great holy symbol of our faith is still being profaned by the police of Quang Binh, and while our faithful are still being jailed unjustly, we cannot come to talk with the Provincial Committee,” explained Fr Anthony Pham Dinh Phung, Chief Secretary of Bishop’s Office in a response to the Committee.

The Bishop’s Office of Vinh Diocese also sent a letter to the local authorities of Quang Binh demanding the immediate release of all Catholics who have been beaten, arrested and jailed as well as medical care for the wounded and compensation for damage to the parish.

Courtesy : Cathnewsasia