Nguyen Trung Linh

Immediate Concerns

Background

He is an engineer by training and received his education in the Czech Republic.

History of Activism

Linh was previously a member of the Brotherhood for Democracy and has also run for political office.

Linh’s activism began in 1987 as a second-year university student, driven by a passion for human rights and democratic ideals. His unwavering dedication led to repeated clashes with authorities, resulting in three arrests over the years.

In 1998, Linh was detained for 10 days on charges of propaganda against the state under Article 88 of the 1999 Criminal Code. Released but confined to house arrest in Thanh Hoa, he faced ongoing restrictions, yet remained undeterred.

In 2011, authorities arrested Linh again under Article 88. He spent six months in Hoa Lo Prison, followed by another six at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine. There, he endured forced administration of undisclosed oral and injectable medications. On one occasion, suspecting he hid his medication, staff restrained him tightly to a bed for two hours until he pleaded for release. After a year of detention, Linh was freed, but the experience left a lasting impact.

Linh’s third arrest in 2018 began with four months in Hoa Lo Prison, followed by an extended four-and-a-half-year confinement in the National Institute of Forensic Medicine. In March 2023, he was transferred back to Hoa Lo for “further investigation.” In January 2024, a closed-door trial—unbeknownst to his family until the verdict—sentenced him to six years under Article 117 of the 2015 Criminal Code for propaganda against the state. Linh defended himself without legal representation after an appointed lawyer was dismissed. He remained in Hoa Lo until his release in September 2024.

Read about his time in the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in the "Arrest" tab of his profile.