E/CN.4/1991/56 page 116 85. On 8 November 1990, the Government of Turkey sent its comments to the Special Rapporteur regarding the above-mentioned information: "1. As stated in article 2 of its Constitution, the Republic of Turkey is a democratic, secular and social State governed by the rule of law; bearing in mind the concepts of public peace, national solidarity and justice; respecting human rights; loyal to the nationalism of Atatiirk, and based on the fundamental tenets set forth in the Preamble of the Constitution. Laicism is one of these tenets. The Government of Turkey reiterates its firm belief that laicism provides the basis for the true exercise of the right to freedom of religion and the prevention of discrimination based on religion. Laicism is a principle which the Turkish Government and all the Turkish authorities concerned must protect and promote. In terms of Turkish legislation and practice, the protection of laicism corresponds to the protection of the right to freedom of conscience, religious belief and conviction. In this respect, article 24 of the Constitution and article 163 of the Turkish Penal Code are the main safeguards against activities aiming to abolish democracy and fundamental human rights, and to establish a theocratic State based on religious intolerance. According to article 4 of the Turkish Penal Code, such activities carried out by the Turkish nationals constitute punishable acts even if they are committed in a foreign country. 2. Mr. Osman Coskun is one of those persons who aim to establish a theocratic Islamic State in Turkey. In 1980 he went to another European country where he has been active as member of an anti-secular association founded and supported by some fundamentalist circles with a view to propagating theocratic ideas among the large community of Turkish nations existing in that country and to promoting organized activities to overthrow laicism in Turkey. Mr. Osman Coskun has been a leading person in activities aiming to attain these objectives. Since his activities have been directed against the Republic of Turkey, they were taken up by the relevant Turkish Court in accordance with article 4 of the Turkish Penal Code. On 19 January 1988, Ankara State Security Court has sentenced Osman Coskun to 16 years and 8 months of imprisonment according to article 163 (paras. 2 and 3) of the Turkish Penal Code. This sentence has been approved by the Court of Appeal on 12 May 1988." Viet Nam 86. In a communication dated 1 October 1990, the Special Rapporteur addressed the following information to the Government of Viet Nam: "The following monks and priests were allegedly arrested and tried on account of their religious activities: Thich Due Nhuan, a 61-year-old Buddhist monk, arrested on 6 August 1985 in his pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City, is reported to have been detained without trial until September 1988, and then sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment after being accused of 'subversive activities against the authority of the people'. He was allegedly detained for several months at the detention centre in Phan Dang Luu Street, where he was subjected to long interrogations, before being transferred to Chi Hoa prison in Ho Chi Minh City, without any formal charges being made against him. He was then reportedly tried by the people's court in Ho Chi Minh City on 28 to 30 September 1988, accused, under