Vietnam Free Expression Newsletter No. 16/2021 – Week of April 19-25

Can Thi Theu and Trinh Ba Tu

The trial for Can Thi Theu and one of her sons, Trinh Ba Tu, will be held on May, 5, 2021 in Hoa Binh Province, according to their lawyer Luan Le. Defenders of their land in Duong Noi Village, they were arrested in June 2020 for reporting on the government attack on Dong Tam Commune. They are charged with conducting “propaganda against the state” under Article 117 of the Criminal Code. Theu’s eldest son, Trinh Ba Phuong, was also arrested at the same time but has not yet been charged and has not been allowed to see a lawyer.

Three more independent journalists have been arrested. Nguyen Thanh Nha, Doan Kien Giang, and Nguyen Phuoc Trung Bao are regular contributors to Bao Sach (Clean Newspaper), a Facebook page dedicated to exposing corruption founded by Truong Chau Huu Danh, who was arrested in December of last year for “abusing democratic freedoms.” The trio recently reported that a senior leader of the Communist Party committed plagiarism, and they implicated the chief justice of the Supreme Court in a highly irregular death penalty case.

Le Thi Binh arriving at trial on April 22, Source: Phap Luat

On April 22, the People’s Court of Can Tho Province sentenced Le Thi Binh, 45, to two years in prison for “abusing democratic freedoms” through her social media accounts. The government accused Binh of using her mobile phone between October 2019 to November 2020 to connect to the internet to livestream and post her opinions to get people to respond and criticize the government. She is the sister of former political prisoner Le Minh The.

Tran Thi Tuyet Dieu at trial on April 23, Source: congluan.vn via Radio Free Asia

Blogger Tran Thi Tuyet Dieu, from Phu Yen Province, was given an 8-year prison sentence on April 23 for conducting “propaganda against the state” under Article 117 of the Criminal Code. Dieu, a former employee of a state-run newspaper, was arrested in August 2020 but was not allowed to see a lawyer until November. The government accused her of posting 25 news articles on Facebook and nine videos on YouTube whose content was deemed to be against the government.

Two-time political prisoner Nguyen Viet Dung, 35, is reported by his sister, Nguyen Anh, to be in poor health. She visited him at Nam Ha Prison on April 22. Unlike the last visit three months ago when he appeared healthy, Dung is having problems eating and sleeping, has a fever, and has skin rashes on his neck and face. He’s being isolated from other prisoners. Dung has asked to see a doctor and that he be allowed to be with others. He’s currently serving a six-year sentence for conducting “propaganda against the state” under Article 117 of the 2015 Criminal Code.

Independent journalist Nguyen Tuong Thuy is showing signs of physical and mental decline in jail. His wife was allowed to see him after he was moved from Bo La Prison to An Phuoc Prison last week. She said her husband appeared frail and was uncharacteristically absent-minded. Thuy, 71, told his wife that conditions at the new prison were better. He is serving an 11-year sentence for conducting “propaganda against the state” under Article 117 of the 2015 Criminal Code.

This week, we remember the arrest and trial anniversaries of the following political prisoners:

• Montagnard Christian pastor Runh, arrested April 23, 2012, and sentenced to 10 years in prison

• Buddhist activist Tran Thanh Giang, arrested April 23, 2019, and sentenced to eight years in prison for conducting “propaganda against the state”

• Activist Nguyen Chi Vung, arrested April 23, 2019, and sentenced to six years  in prison for conducting “propaganda against the state”

• Activist Nguyen Dinh Khue, arrested April 25, 2019, and sentenced to two years and four months in prison for “disrupting security”

• Activist Vo Thuong Trung, arrested April 25, 2019, and sentenced to three years in prison for “disrupting security”

• Activist Ngo Xuan Thanh, arrested April 25, 2019, and sentenced to two years and four months in prison for “disrupting security”
• Montagnard Christian activist Dinh Nong, tried April 2017, and sentenced to eight years in prison for “undermining the unity policy”
• Montagnard Christian activist Ksor Kam, tried April 2017, and sentenced to nine years in prison for “undermining the unity policy”
• Montagnard Christian activist Puih Bop, tried April 2017, and sentenced to nine years in prison for “undermining the unity policy”
• Montagnard Christian activist Ro Lan Kly, tried April 2017, and sentenced to eight years in prison for “undermining the unity policy”

A report by the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies on Vietnam in 2019 concluded that despite some positive changes to the law, Vietnam was still not in compliance with Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights regarding arbitrary arrests and detention, especially with respect to the provision of allowing the arrested to see a lawyer within 48 hours.

PEN’s 2nd annual Freedom to Write Index notes that the Asia-Pacific countries had the most number of jailed journalists in 2020, with China leading the way with 81 cases. Of the Top 10 violators in the world, Vietnam ranks seventh with 11 cases.

The Swiss NGO International Commission of Jurists has submitted a report to the UN’s OHCHR criticizing the governments of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand for using the pandemic as a pretext to create laws that restrict freedom of the press.

NEWS & ANALYSIS