Phan Cong Hai
Phan Công Hải
Current Status: Released - at risk
Date of Birth: June 5, 1996
Gender: M
Religion: Christian
Ethnicity: Kinh
Known Prison(s):
An Diem prison, Dai Loc district, Quang Nam province (April 28, 2020 - November 19, 2024)
Activist Focus:
- Sovereignty
Details
Immediate Concerns
Phan Cong Hai was released from prison on Nov. 19 after completing his sentence.
Nov. 2024:
Do Thi Thu, Trinh Ba Phuong's wife, told Project88 on Nov. 20 that her husband had been on a hunger strike since "around Nov. 1." Phuong and several others in An Diem Prison staged a strike to demand the cessation of unfair treatment such as not allowing political prisoners to have pen and paper for writing and confiscation of reading material, including Phuong's books on the law. Nguyen Thai Binh in March was allegedly shackled on both legs and put in isolation for 10 days, and that since then he has been prohibited from buying supplies at the prison store and from calling home. Binh had to end his hunger strike after 15 days due to weakness. His health is reportedly "very poor;" he was released on Nov. 23 after completing his 12-year sentence. Phan Cong Hai, who finished his prison sentence and was released earlier this month, also joined the strike but had to stop after 15 days.
Phuong had reported to political prisoners in An Diem are being kept in “tiger cages” 24 hours a day and are not allowed outside for exercise or activities. It is unclear how these “tiger cages” are similar to or different from those used at Prison No. 6 in Nghe An. Furthermore, Thu said that prisoner Phan Cong Hai‘s legs had been shackled for unknown disciplinary violations and that he had to sleep sitting up for an unknown number of days.
October 2023:
Trinh Ba Phuong and two other political prisoners–Phan Cong Hai and Truong Van Dung–had their legs shackled for 10 days, from Sept. 9 to Sept. 19, at An Diem Prison for writing anti-China messages on A24 pieces of paper to protest, according to Phuong’s wife, Thu Do, who visited him on Oct 12.
Background
Phan Cong Hai was born in 1996 in Nghi Loc District, Nghe An Province.
History of Activism
On his personal Facebook page, Phan Cong Hai has written many posts to express his concerns about the Vietnamese regime. The posts denounce human rights violations, poor economic management, and environmental pollution occuring in Vietnam.
May 31, 2019: wanted under the charge of Article 117 of the 2015 Criminal Code
On May 31, 2019, Nghe An province public security issued a wanted decision against Phan Cong Hai, 23 at the time, who resided in Nghi Loc district, Nghe An province. He was wanted under the charge of Article 117 of the 2015 Criminal Code for “making, storing, spreading information, materials, items for the purpose of opposing the State of Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Sentenced to 5 years in prison under Art. 117 (2015 Code). Released November 19, 2024.
April 28, 2020 - Date of trial
None -- no legal representation
5 years in prison
November 19, 2024
November 19, 2024
Details of Imprisonment
On November 19, 2019, young activist Phan Cong Hai was arrested in Ha Tinh province, after being wanted for six months by Nghe An provincial authorities for “producing, storing and disseminating information to oppose the people’s regime” (Article 117, 2015 Criminal Code). The official “criminal conduct” for which he was wanted, according to the state’s media, was “defaming the image of President Ho Chi Minh.” The authorities also mentioned that Hai’s Facebook posts contained reactionary elements, intentionally libeling and distorting historical facts, questioning the leadership role of the Communist Party in Vietnam, and affecting national security.
Hai's arrest was unknown to the public until an ultra-communist Facebook group called “Trung Đoàn 47” published a video of Ha Tinh public security interrogating him. No official state-owned media had reported about his arrest yet. His family has confirmed the arrest with The 88 Project.
The arrest surprised people who know Hai. He was seeking refuge in Thailand for a while, but somehow the news emerged about his arrest in Vietnam. His family shared with The 88 Project that his mother was going to have surgery soon, and that was likely the reason for his return to Vietnam. It is also possible that the authorities used or will use his mother’s health situation to coerce him into confession.
April 2020:
Phan Cong Hai was sentenced to five years in prison in Nghe An Province. He did not have legal representation at trial, and the trial lasted only two hours.
Resources
Fugitive-for-Freedom-of-Expression Arrested by Public Security of Ha Tinh Province, The 88 Project, November 22, 2019
Vietnam jails man for Facebook posts 'defaming' the regime, The Straits Times, April 28, 2020
Interviews with Do Thi Thu, Nov. 2024
Profile last updated: 2024-11-29 15:35:12