In these past two weeks, two very influential organizations have released reports about Vietnam. One, a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), highlights large-scale police abuse and brutality. Only days after releasing the report, the Vietnamese government handed down strict prison sentences to four police officers involved in the beating death of a suspect in […]
In a trial that garnered much international attention, on August 26th, Bui Thi Minh Hang, Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh, and Nguyen Van Minh were charged under Article 245 of Vietnam’s Penal Code for causing “public disorder.” They were sentenced to three, two, and two and a half years, respectively. Amnesty International reports that many people who […]
Human rights abuses continue in Vietnam, despite growing international attention surrounding potential trade agreements between Vietnam and the EU and Vietnam and the US. The trial of blogger Bui Thi Minh Hang is set for Tuesday, August 26th. According to Radio Free Asia, she was taken into custody on February 11th for “disturbing the public […]
After the UN Special Rapporteur’s visit to Vietnam at the end of July, many questions are left unanswered. The visit was made to gather research for a report on the state of religious freedom in Vietnam. Mr. Bielefeldt, the Special Rapporteur, was unable to meet with some individuals and religious organizations and communities due to […]
The end of this weekend will bring a new opportunity for human rights improvements in Vietnam. Meetings between Australian and Vietnamese officials in Hanoi on July 28th-30th will center on human rights dialogue. Human Rights Watch (HRW) urges Australia to “call for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Vietnam.” In a recent article […]
As June drew to an end, good news came about the release of labor rights activist, Do Thi Minh Hanh. She and her colleagues, Nguyen Hoang Quoc Hung and Doan Huy Chuong, who remain in prison, were arrested in 2010 after organizing workers at a factory. Do Thi Minh Hanh served about half of her […]
As the summer solstice now fades into the distance, the second half of 2014 looms before us. Read on to see what Vietnam has done so far in 2014 and to see what we can do to ensure a safer, more peaceful, and more democratic second half of the year for the people there. The […]
On June 20th, during the 26th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Vietnam’s human rights situation, the Council affirmed Vietnam’s position as a part of the UNHRC. The UPR Info Twitter feed expressed that ahead of Vietnam’s review, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, UNICEF, and the […]
In recent days, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that an imprisoned pastor, Nguyen Cong Chinh, has faced abuse at the hands of his prison guards after asking for better treatment for himself and his fellow prisoners. Religious leaders in the country have sent a petition to the government asking for an end to harassment of these prisoners of […]
Cu Huy Ha Vu, a former Vietnamese prisoner of conscience who recently moved to the United States, wrote a piece for the Washington Post about the current state of human rights and freedom of expression in Vietnam. In the article, he cites that there are 400 prisoners of conscience in Vietnam today. He states that […]