Tran Thanh Giang
Current Status: Sentenced to prison
Other Names: Trần Thanh Giang, Vũ
Date of Birth: December 27, 1971
Gender: M
Religion: Buddhist (Hòa Hảo)
Ethnicity: Kinh
Occupation: Business professional
Areas of Activism:
- Religious freedom
Highlighted Human Rights Concerns:
- Denial of Adequate Medical Treatment or Supplies
- Denial of Family Visit/Punitive Prison Transfer
- Online commentator
May 2019:
On May 20, 2019, the detention center of An Giang Province requested his family send him some medicine, saying that he contracted many diseases and kept vomiting. His daughter, with her three-month-old child, went on May 22 but was not allowed to meet with Giang. Despite asking the family to bring medicine for Giang, detention center officers refused to receive it because Giang’s daughter asked for his signature in order to confirm whether he received the medicine or not.
Details - Background, History of Activism.
Tran Thanh Giang lived in Cho Moi District, An Giang province prior to arrest.
Profile photo source: Tieng Dan Newspaper
Tran Thanh Giang is a member of Hoa Hao Buddhism, one of five religions that did not accept the control from the Communist Party of Vietnam. As an activist, Giang has advocated for freedom of religion.
“Chào mừng ngày giải phóng 30/4”, Hà Nội tiếp tục đàn áp tôn giáo và bắt giữ người dân trái luật, Tieng Dan Newapaper, April 24, 2019
Arrested April 23, 2019. Sentenced to 8 years in prison under Art. 117 (2015 Code). Expected Release is April 23, 2027.
April 23, 2019
- Art. 117 (2015 Code)
An Giang province public security, An Giang province
Cho Moi District, An Giang Province (map)
November 27, 2019
The People’s Court of An Giang Province
Dang Dinh Manh
8 years in prison
April 23, 2027
- freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention
- liberty and security of the person
- freedom of expression
- fair trial
- freedom of belief and religion
At around 4:00 pm on April 23, 2019, public security of An Giang province raided his private residence and arrested Tran Thanh Giang without an arrest warrant.
On the next day, the Investigation Security Agency of An Giang Province sent an announcement on arresting Giang in emergency, in which Giang was accused of “making, storing, spreading, or propagating information, materials, items for the purpose of opposing the State of Socialist Republic of Vietnam," Article 117, the 2015 Penal Code.
According to the conviction report of the procuracy, from 2014 to March2019, Giang was accused of using a Facebook account to post and share over 3,100 articles and images and 99 video clips intending to falsify and defame the policy and the reputation of Vietnamese Communist Party, alongside with the people’s regime.
November 2019:
On November 27, 2019, The People’s Court of An Giang Province sentenced Tran Thanh Giang to eight years in prison on the accusation of “making, storing, disseminating, or propagandizing information, materials, and products that aim to oppose the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam," under Article 117 of the 2015 Criminal Code. Mr Giang was arrested and officially prosecuted by the public security forces and People’s Procuracy of An Giang Province on April 23, 2019, which means that he was detained for over six months before trial.
Only three members of Thanh’s family could participate at the trial.
On May 20, 2019, the detention center of An Giang Province requested his family send him some medicine, saying that he contracted many diseases and kept vomiting. His daughter, with her three-month-old child, went on May 22 but was not allowed to meet with Giang. Despite asking the family to bring medicine for Giang, detention center officers refused to receive it because Giang’s daughter asked for his signature in order to confirm whether he received the medicine or not.
“Chào mừng ngày giải phóng 30/4”, Hà Nội tiếp tục đàn áp tôn giáo và bắt giữ người dân trái luật, Tieng Dan Newspaper, April 24, 2019
Profile last updated: 2020-02-20 04:15:05