Vu Van Hung
Vu Hung
Detainment Type: Released - at risk
Other Names: Vu Hung
Date of Birth: October 10, 1966
Gender: M
Occupation: Teaching professional
Activist Focus:
- Democracy
- Environment
Details
Immediate Concerns
Background
January 2019:
Vu Van Hung was released from prison on January 4, 2019, after completing his one-year prison sentence.
Vu Hung is a former political prisoner and school teacher.
History of ActivismVu Hung has participated in peaceful social and environmental protests.
November 2017:
Vu Hung was taken into custody for questioning about the Brotherhood for Democracy as part of a concentrated crackdown on the group by authorities throughout 2017.
Sentenced to 3 years in prison under Art. 88 (1999 Code). Released 2011.
September 18, 2008
- Art 88 (1999)
Viet Nam
October, 2009 - Date of trial
3 years in prison
2011
Sentenced to 1 year in prison under Art. 134 (2015 Code). Released January 4, 2019.
April 12, 2018 - Date of trial
Ngo Anh Tuan
1 year in prison
January 4, 2019
January 4, 2019
Details of Imprisonment
Actions Taken
First arrest:
Vu Hung was arrested in 2008 for pro-democracy banners and sentenced to three years in prison under Article 88 of the 1999 Criminal Code.
Second arrest:
Vu Hung was kidnapped from a lunch meeting on January 4, 2018, in Hanoi. He was arrested under Art. 318 (new) of the 2015 Criminal Code, then later charged under Article 134 (new) of the 2015 Criminal Code (“intentionally inflicting injury on or causing harm to the health of other persons").
March 2018:
Former political prisoner and teacher Vu Van Hung, who was arrested in January 2018, has a trial date set. He will be tried in Hanoi on April 12 under Article 134 of the 2015 Criminal Code ("intentionally inflicting injury on or causing harm to the health of other persons"). The trial may have to be postponed, as Hung's lawyer, Ngo Anh Tuan, is also the lawyer for Nguyen Viet Dung, who goes to trial on the same day. Vu Van Hung has been active in environmental and social activism; he faces up to 12 years in prison.
April 2018:
On April 12, 2018, Vu Van Hung was sentenced to one year in prison for "deliberately causing injury."
August 2018:
Pro-democracy activist Vu Van Hung was transferred to a new prison. He was moved to Prison No. 3 in Nghe An province, about 300 km away from where his wife lives.
January 2019:
Vu Van Hung was released from prison on January 4, 2019, after completing his one-year prison sentence.
February 2009:
PEN America released an appeal on Vu Hung's behalf, demanding he be released from prison. The appeal reported that he was suffering from serious health issues while imprisoned.
April 2018:
Amnesty International's Regional Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, James Gomez, commented on Nguyen Viet Dung and Vu Van Hung's April 12 trials: “After throwing a record number of human rights defenders in jail last year, the Vietnamese authorities have made another deeply troubling statement of intent by bringing these two activists before the courts. It sends a clear signal that there is to be no let-up.”
ResourcesDefend the Defenders's archives
Vietnam Jails 3 More Democracy Activists, Drawing Condemnation from Rights Defenders, Radio Free Asia, April 12, 2018
July 12, 2019: beaten by thugs when visiting prison No. 6
On July 12, 2019, Vu Van Hung (who is a former political prisoner) and 19 family members and supporters of political prisoners were physically attacked by thugs who they believed to be plain-clothes prison officers and public security officers. Activist Trinh Ba Phuong, son of fellow former political prisoner Can Thi Theu, told VOA Vietnamese that the group was on its way to Prison No. 6 with some posters solely to visit and support prisoners such as Truong Minh Duc, who were on hunger strike at the time. When the visitors group tried to approach Camp 6 by car, a truck seemed to purposely park to block the road, so they decided to walk the rest of the way. This is where the attack took place. Activists Trinh Ba Khiem, Nguyen Thuy Hanh and Huynh Ngoc Chenh were not only physically assaulted, but their belongings, including money, phones, and personal documents were taken by the attackers.
After the attack, the group was forced to go back to the main road and was escorted to Vinh city, unable to complete the visit.