Vietnam to free foreigners, tribal highlanders in amnesty
Vietnam plans to release 21 foreigners from prison to mark its 60th national day on Friday.
Deputy police minister, Le The Tiem, says the foreigners are among 10,428 prisoners to receive pardons from President Tran Duc Luong.
The foreigners to be freed include two Chinese, four Americans, five Cambodians, three Malaysians, four Taiwanese, one South Korean and a Laotian.
The details of their offences have not been released.
Mr Tiem also says 28 ethnic minority people from the Central Highlands will benefit from the amnesty.
The tribal people were accused of organising illegal trips out of Vietnam for members of the mainly Christian Montagnards.
Authorities cracked down on the Montagnards in April last year after they held protests about land rights and religious persecution.
The action caused many to flee to neighbouring Cambodia.
The prisoner release is to mark the September 2 declaration of independence by the late communist leader, Ho Chi Minh, in 1945.
ABC Radio Australia - August 29, 2005.
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