Vietnamese dissident monk dies at 93

HANOI: Thich Quang Do, a dissident Buddhist monk who has effectively been under house arrest since 2003 and was nominated multiple times for the Nobel Peace Prize, has died aged 93.

Head of the banned Unified Buddist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), the vocal patriarch was born on November 27, 1928 in northern Thai Binh province and spent most of his life advocating for religious freedom and human rights in communist-run Vietnam.

His staunch activism landed him under what was effectively house arrest in Ho Chi Minh City in 2003, where he was under constant surveillance. Do died on Saturday night at Tu Hieu pagoda, UBCV announced on Sunday morning.

According to his will signed on April 2019, Do requested a "simple funeral, not more than three days". "After the cremation, my ashes will be scattered at sea," said the statement quoting his will.

The UBCV also requested for followers not to bring money, as is customary for Vietnamese funerals. "There will be no final words, no biographies, no emotional showings... just praying." Do has long been a thorn on the side for communist-run Vietnam, and he has been nominated multiple times for the Nobel Peace Prize for his vocal advocacy for democracy.