Bui Thi Minh Hang

In February 2014, Hang and many other activists, including activist Nguyen Van Minh and Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh, were on their way to visit former political prisoner Nguyen Bac Truyen in Lap Vo District, Dong Thap Province, when they were stopped, reportedly traffic control, and somehow were arrested for “causing public disorder.” Bui Hang and and Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh went on a two-week hunger strike to protest the circumstances of their arrest. Their defense lawyer, Ha Huy Son, was unable to see their case files. On July 22, the attorney had to file a motion against the Dong Thap province police for failing to provide him the findings of their criminal investigation, as required by law.

Hang and her co-defendants were sentenced to three years of imprisonment by the Court of Dong Thap province on August 26, 2014. The authorities accused her and other activists of creating a “serious obstruction to traffic.” Many international organizations believed that the judgment was politically-motivated, since there was evidence that unidentified thugs attacked and beat up several group members. 

Hang was detained in Gia Trung prison camp, Gia Lai province, where she continued her fight for justice, since the Gia Trung prison camp allegedly mistreated her by denying her visits from her family and attorney. 

Bui Hang's family experienced harassment in their attempts to fight for her release. They raised her case with local authorities ,and when they attempted to lodge a complaint with higher authorities in Hanoi on March 23, 2014, they were briefly detained. 

In prison, the prison officers accused Bui Hang of being uncooperative for refusing to wear a prison uniform. They then arbitrarily denied her the right to meet with her family.

She was released from prison on February 11, 2017. She immediately rejoined the human rights movement in Vietnam, now by using Facebook and other social media tools. She still faces harassment and threats from various local authorities to this day.