Profile

Tran Long Phi

Current Status: Sentenced to prison

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Other Names: Trần Long Phi

Date of Birth: 1998

Gender: M

Ethnicity: Kinh

Last Known Prison: HCM city Police detention center, No. 4 Phan Dang Luu, Ho Chi Minh city

Areas of Activism:

  • Freedom of expression
  • Human rights
  • Sovereignty

Highlighted Human Rights Concerns:

  • Violence concern

June 2019:

Attorney Nguyen Van Tam will defend Huynh Duc Thanh Binh, per the request of Binh's mother. It is a public trial, but Tran Long Phi's family was told that the family members would not be allowed to be present in the court room. After some effort, the family was able to send clothes to Phi, but they were not allowed to see him before the trial.

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The People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City tried Michael NguyenHuynh Duc Thanh Binh, Tran Long Phi, and Huynh Duc Thinh (Binh's father) on Monday June 24, 2019 in a one-day trial (it was expected to be two days). Michael Nguyen was sentenced to 12 years, Huynh Duc Thanh Binh to 10 years, Tran Long Phi to eight years, and Huynh Duc Thinh to one year. Read more about the arrest and trial in the "Arrest" tab of this profile. 

Details - Background, History of Activism.

Long Phi is a young Facebooker, living in Thailand before his arrest.

Tran Long Phi’s father, Tran Van Long said that Phi has participated in a human rights group, comprised of he and other young people concerned about Vietnam’s situation. Phi was said to have participated in the national demonstrations on June 10, 2018.

Arrested July 7, 2018. Sentenced to 8 years in prison and 3 years probation under Art. 109 (2015 Code). Expected Release is July 7, 2026.

July 7, 2018
  • Art. 109 (2015 Code)
Ho Chi Minh city public security, Ho Chi Minh city
Dong Nai province (map)
June 24, 2019
The People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City
Doan Trong Nghia
8 years in prison and 3 years probation
July 7, 2026
  • freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention
  • liberty and security of the person
  • freedom of expression
  • freedom of peaceful assembly
  • fair trial
  • political participation

Phi was said to be arrested on July 7, 2018, the same day with Huynh Duc Thanh Binh, when they were on the way back to Ho Chi Minh City from a tour of Hue and Danang. However, it is unclear whether he will be criminally charged or not.

Police did not announce his arrest to his family or state media but accused him of “coming back Vietnam to overthrow the government” in a search order directed towards Thomas Quoc Bao.

According to Huynh Duc Thanh Binh's mother, Phi is being detained together with her son and Michael Nguyen at 4 Phan Dang Luu street, Ho Chi Minh city.  

June 2019:

The People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City tried Michael NguyenHuynh Duc Thanh Binh, Tran Long Phi, and Huynh Duc Thinh (Binh's father) on Monday June 24, 2019. Michael Nguyen was sentenced to 12 years, Huynh Duc Thanh Binh to 10 years, Tran Long Phi to eight years, and Huynh Duc Thinh to one year. Nguyen will be deported after completing his sentence. All except Thinh were convicted of subversion for allegedly planning to incite protests and attack government offices. The four were arrested in July, 2018. Another person, Truong Quoc Bao (Thomas Quoc Bao), was also arrested at the same time, but he managed to escape when the police took him back to his home for a search. There is no news on his whereabouts. It was a short and speedy trial in Ho Chi Minh city. Scheduled to be a two day trial, it was finished in less than four  hours.

The 88 Project is aware of and investigating the claims of violence involved in these cases. However, in the absence of a free press environment, the defendants should be given the benefit of the doubt, and any accusation by the authorities against them should not be taken for granted.

Profile last updated: 2020-04-16 02:42:02

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