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CASE INFORMATION
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NAME:
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My name is Jasmine Luong and I am from Australia.
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AGE:
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34 [2008]
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ORIGIN:
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Vietnamese-Australian
Resident of Sydney, Australia
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ARRESTED:
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February 2007
Arrested at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, outside Ho Chi Minh City, with 1.5 kilograms of heroin hidden in her shoes and luggage.
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PRISON LOCATION:
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Vietnam [to be confirmed]
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SENTENCE:
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Life imprisonment upgraded to Death by Firing Squad
There is no set time frame for the President to decide whether he will grant clemency. It is expected Luong will probably have to wait at least a year for a decision.
Jasmine Luong has been sentenced to death for heroin trafficking in Vietnam. Luong is an Australian national who now may face death by firing squad if her appeal is not granted. She had been sentences to life in prison, but after the prosecution pushed for the death penalty the appeal court changed the sentence to death. Jasmine told officials that she was forced into the crime to pay off her husband's gambling debts.
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VISITING DAYS:
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Visits to the general public are not permitted.
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CARE PACKAGES:
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We are presently awaiting confirmation from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs in regard to support for Jasmine Luong.
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LETTER WRITING:
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Letters of support can be directed to the Australian Embassy and delivered to Jasmine Luong in detention. All mail is subject to censorship. Please do not say anything offensive about the Vietnamese Government or its authorities. Keep all letters polite and non-political. Do not ask for information relating to her case. Letters should be respectful and focused on general conversations that will give encouragement to Jasmine Luong.
Please let Jasmine Luong know that you were made aware of her plight through this campaign page.
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FINACIAL SUPPORT:
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While the prison does supply a minimal diet, many prisoners prefer to supplement their diet with store purchases and gifts from friends and visitors [those who have them].
Without support for food and money, the prisoner is in a really difficult position. A minimum equivalent of AUD$50 per month is needed to sustain a prisoner in Vietnam. Most do not have anywhere near this amount.
Never send money or cash in the mail. All mail must first be checked by the guards and THEN given to the prisoner. It is against the law to send money through the mail and if found, it will be confiscated by police and/or prison authorities.
If you would like to support Jasmine Luong please contact the Australian Embassy.
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LETTER WRITING:
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AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY
Level 5, Landmark Building
5B Ton Duc Thang Street
District 1
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
Phone: +84 (0)8 829 6035
Fax: +84 (0)8 829 6031
Website of Embassy in Vietnam
DFAT assistance
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade [DFAT] says it strongly supports an appeal for clemency by Luong. It says it is confident the Vietnamese Government understands Australia's position on the death penalty and considers such matters on an individual case basis. The Government is providing consular assistance to Luong and her family through regular visits to her in detention to check her health and welfare. The Department is also helping her communicate with her family in Australia.
Contact for DFAT: www.dfat.gov.au
HEADS OF GOVERNMENT [VIETNAM]
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Head of State | HE Nguyen Minh Triet | President | Your Excellency |
| Head of Government | HE Mr Nguyen Tan Dung | Prime Minister | Your Excellency |
| Foreign Minister | HE Dr Pham Gia Khiem | Minister of Foreign Affairs | Your Excellency |
| Trade Minister | HE Dr Vu Huy Hoang | Minister of Industy and Trade | Your Excellency |
| Aid Minister | HE Mr Vo Hong Phuc | Minister of Planning and Investment | Your Excellency |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs [Vietnam]
http://www.mofa.gov.vn/en/bng_vietnam/
* Anyone wishing to write letters to any Vietnamese Government official on appeal for Jasmine Luong should make sure that they do not write anything that would offend the Government in any way. All letters should be highly respectful and non-political!
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LATEST NEWS:
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I had no choice, says courier facing death
AN AUSTRALIAN sentenced to death in Vietnam this week for heroin trafficking told officials she was forced into the crime to pay off her husband's gambling debts.
It is understood that 34-year-old Jasmine Luong will include the claim in her application for clemency, which must be handed to the Vietnamese President, Nguyen Minh Triet, by the middle of next week.
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and the Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, are expected to write to the President in support of Luong, whose two children are being looked after by relatives in Sydney.
Click Here for Full Story
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MEDIA:
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All media enquiries should be directed to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
www.dfat.gov.au
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LINKS:
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FPSS Death Penalty Click Here
Australians on Death Row [NSWCCL] Click Here
Australians Against Capital Punishment Click Here
Amnesty Australia - Call to Abolish the Death Penalty Click Here
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