Do Cong Duong
Current Status: Deceased
Other Names: Đỗ Công Đương
Date of Birth: March 24, 1964
Gender: M
Ethnicity: Kinh
Occupation: Blogger
Last Known Prison: Bac Ninh province police Detention center, Bac Ninh province
Areas of Activism:
- Anti-corruption
- Freedom of expression
- Land rights
- Press
Details
Immediate Concerns
August 2022:
Do Cong Duong has died in prison. Duong was arrested in 2018 and sentenced to eight years in prison on two separate charges of “disturbing the peace” and “abusing democratic freedoms” for his work with land grab victims in Bac Giang Commune. His family had been complaining to the prison authorities for years about his failing health. According to a Facebook post, Duong passed away in Nghe An Hospital at 10:20 p.m. on August 2; the cause of his death has not been made public. This is the fourth death of a political prisoner in prison in recent years; the others were Dao Quang Thuc, Doan Dinh Nam, and Huynh Huu Dat.
About 30 families of political prisoners in Vietnam are calling on the government to allow sick inmates to receive adequate healthcare after two inmates, including Duong died, they said, from lack of timely care. Read our translation of the impassioned letter, here.
The Committee to Protect Journalists issued a statement regarding the Do Cong Duong's death. The statement noted that Duong was healthy before he went to prison.
BackgroundDo Cong Duong resided in Tu Son commune, Bac Ninh province.
History of ActivismDo Cong Duong was active as a citizen journalist, covering land rights issue. He also hosted "Tieng Dan TV" that included live streamed video discussions on Facebook.
On September 26, 2017, the investigation police of Bac Ninh police sent Do Cong Duong a warning notice that reads:" [On his Facebook accounts], Mr. Do Cong Duong has posted, share articles, live videos with content that distorts the truth, impacts upon the credibility and reputation of other citizens and organizations; some videos that Mr. Do Cong Duong shared and propagated have content that contradicts the directions and policies of the Party and the law of the state."
Family SituationMay 2018:
Police called for the two teenage daughters of Do Cuong Duong to come into the local station to discuss their father's case. The family has faced harassment over the years due to Duong's land rights and anti-corruption activism.
June 2018:
Duong's family has been in a difficult situation, as he used to be the main provider for the family.
Sentenced to 4 years in prison under Art. 318 (2015 Code). Expected Release is January 24, 2027.
January 24, 2018
- Art. 318 (2015 Code)
Tu Son town public security, Bac Ninh province
Tu Son commune, Bac Ninh province (map)
September 17, 2018 - Date of trial
The People's Court of Tu Son town, Bac Ninh province
Ha Huy Son
4 years in prison
January 24, 2027
Details of Imprisonment
Do Cong Duong was detained on January 24, 2018 by the police of Tu Son commune while he was filming a forced eviction in Tu Son commune, Bac Ninh province. There was no detention order, but the police had a search warrant to search his house on January 25, 2018.
He met with his lawyer, Ha Huy Son, for the first time on April 5, 2018. According to lawyer Ha Huy Son, Duong was charged with "disturbing public order" under Art. 318 of the 2015 Criminal Code.
Do Cong Duong was prosecuted with two separate charges, in two separate proceedings.This record reflects the prosecution initiated by the Tu Son commune police, in which Duong was charged with "disturbing public order" under Art. 318 of the 2015 Criminal Court.
June 2018:
Do Cuong Dong was charged with "abusing democratic freedoms" by the police of Bac Giang province. At the same time, he was also charged with "disturbing public order" by the police of Tu Son commune, who concluded their investigation on June 16, 2018.
September 2018:
On September 17, 2018, a court’s first instance trial was carried out from 7:30 to 14:00. The four defendants were Do Cong Duong, Le Thi Thanh Nga, Nguyen Van Vui and Nguyen Van Trung, all prosecuted for “disturbing public order” under Article 318 of the 2015 Criminal Code.
Except for Mr. Duong, the three left, Nga, Vui and Trung, admitted the accusations from the trial panel and were sentenced to 3 years, 2 years 6 months and 2 years 4 months, respectively. Meanwhile, Duong was sentenced to four years, the heaviest judgment.
Ha Huy Son, Duong’s defense counsel, claimed his innocence and argued that his behavior was just to take photos and observe the land acquisition by authorities. There was no evidence from the investigation agency to prove that Mr. Duong opposed the person on duty or abetted anyone, even though they had accused him of “disturbing public order”. Therefore, the court’s decision on Mr. Duong is wrong.
November 2018:
Do Cong Duong's appeal of his four-year sentence was denied on November 21. The People’s Court of Bac Ninh upheld the sentence for "disturbing public order" for filming a forced eviction in Bac Ninh Province and posting anti-corruption articles and commentary online.
Physical Health HistoryAfter the first meeting with Do Cong Duong on April 5, 2018, lawyer Ha Huy Son shared that Duong was not in good health.
Actions TakenSeptember 2018:
The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the sentence against Duong.
ResourcesFacebook Đỗ Công Đương
Facebook Lawyer Hà Huy Sơn
Nhat Bao Cali Today, Bắc Ninh: Nhà hoạt động Đỗ Công Đương bị tạm giữ, January 26, 2018
Vietnam Land Rights Activist Do Cong Duong Handed 48-Month Jail Term, Radio Free Asia, September 17, 2018
Appeal of Citizen Journalist Do Cong Duong on Charge of “Disrupting Public Order” Rejected, Defend the Defenders, November 21, 2018
Sentenced to 4 years in prison under Art. 331 (2015 Code). Expected Release is January 24, 2027.
January 24, 2018
- Art. 331 (2015 Code)
Tu Son town public security, Bac Ninh province
Tu Son commune, Bac Ninh province (map)
October 12, 2018 - Date of trial
The People's Court of Bac Ninh province, Bac Ninh province
Ha Huy Son
4 years in prison
January 24, 2027
Details of Imprisonment
Do Cong Duong was detained on January 24, 2018 by the police of Tu Son commune while he was filming a forced eviction in Tu Son commune, Bac Ninh province. There was no detention order, but the police had a search warrant to search his house on January 25, 2018.
He met with his lawyer, Ha Huy Son, for the first time on April 5, 2018.
Do Cong Duong was prosecuted with two separate charges, in two separate proceedings.This record reflects the prosecution initiated by the Bac Ninh province police, in which Duong was charged with "abusing democratic freedoms" under Art. 331 of the 2015 Criminal Court.
June 2018:
Do Cuong Dong was charged with "abusing democratic freedoms" by the police of Bac Giang province. At the same time, he had also been charged with "disturbing public order" by the police of Tu Son commune, who concluded their investigation on June 16, 2018.
October 2018:
On October 12, the People’s Court of Bac Ninh province sentenced Duong to five years in prison on charges of “abusing democratic freedoms” under Article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code. His family was barred from entering the courtroom.
January 2019:
On January 23, 2019, his sentence of five years for "abusing democratic freedoms" was reduced to four years on appeal. The appeal of his other four-year sentence has already been denied.
He will have to serve eight years in prison in total.
January 2022:
The daughter of Do Cong Duong revealed that several cadres whom her father had exposed as corrupt had been arrested. However, it’s not clear if Duong’s case will be reviewed by the court.
Physical Health HistoryAfter the first meeting with Do Cong Duong on April 5, 2018, lawyer Ha Huy Son shared that Duong was not in good health.
Actions TakenSeptember 2018:
The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the sentence against Duong.
ResourcesFacebook Đỗ Công Đương
Facebook Lawyer Hà Huy Sơn
Nhat Bao Cali Today, Bắc Ninh: Nhà hoạt động Đỗ Công Đương bị tạm giữ, January 26, 2018
Vietnam Anti-corruption Activist, Citizen Journalist Do Cong Duong Charged With Abusing Democratic Freedoms, Defend the Defenders, April 24, 2018
Vietnam blogger sentenced again after Facebook posts, AFP, October 12, 2018
Profile last updated: 2024-06-13 20:34:04