Profile

Ngo Xuan Thanh

Current Status: Likely released - at risk

Photo of Ngo Xuan Thanh

Other Names: Ngô Xuân Thành

Date of Birth: 1970

Gender: M

Ethnicity: Kinh

Last Known Prison: Prison No. B5, Dong Nai province

Areas of Activism:

  • Human rights
  • Sovereignty

Highlighted Human Rights Concerns:

  • Former Political Prisoner
  • Violence concern

May 2020:

Doan Viet Hoan and Ngo Xuan Thanh had their appeal trial on May 6, 2020. The court upheld Hoan’s three-year sentence and Thanh’s 28-month sentence. 

Details - Background, History of Activism.

Profile photo source:  TVTS Online

Ngo Xuan Thanh is an ordinary citizen with no political affiliation or political motives. He has reportedly been involved in several demonstrations due to his own personal concerns about human rights conditions and the political independence of Vietnam.

Arrested April 25, 2019. Sentenced to 2 years 4 months in prison under Art. 118 (2015 Code). Expected Release is August 25, 2021.

April 25, 2019
  • Art. 118 (2015 Code)
Dong Nai province public security, Dong Nai province
Dong Nai province (map)
November 26, 2019
The People’s Court of Dong Nai Province
Nguyen Van Mieng
2 years 4 months in prison
August 25, 2021
  • freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention
  • liberty and security of the person
  • freedom of expression
  • freedom of peaceful assembly
  • fair trial

During the crackdown on the occasion of Vietnam’s Reunification Day on April 30, four individuals were arrested, detained, and ultimately sentenced to prison. 

According to Facebooker Pham Ngoc, who first shared their news on Facebook, the four Facebookers-- Vo Thuong Trung, Doan Viet Hoan, Ngo Xuan Thanh, and Nguyen Dinh Khue-- often post and share articles on the current national issues and criticize the government on Facebook. They were accused of calling for a demonstration for civil rights and were all arrested on April 25, 2019.

On May 6, 2019, the Investigation Security Agency of Dong Nai Province released an announcement on Khue’s temporary detention. Khue was accused of “contacting, debating with Doan Viet Hoan and others on carrying out a demonstration, planning explosion against the people’s administration under the command of 'Lisa Nguyen' from overseas” and contemporarily detained under Article 118 of the 2015 Penal Code.  Thanh was then reportedly contacted to support on “explosive devices and provoking protesters.” 

On November 26, 2019, the People’s Court of Dong Nai Province sentenced Vo Thuong Trung and Doan Viet Hoan to three years in prison, while Ngo Xuan Thanh and Nguyen Dinh Khue each received a 28-month conviction. All were charged under Article 118 of the 2015 Criminal Code for “disturbing security.” According to the indictment, they were accused of reading articles with anti-regime content on the Internet and planning demonstrations with various methods, including preparing explosions to go off on April 28, 2019. In the plan, Hoan was said to be a leader for a peaceful demonstration, with the duty of creating a “demonstration plan” and uploading 12 videos, with instructions on causing explosions, to social media. Trung was allegedly responsible for buying explosive chemicals, and along with Khue, finding a location for explosions. Thanh, with his knowledge of causing explosions, was allegedly in charge of gathering people for their so-called disruption plan. 

However, according to Khue’s defense counsel, lawyer Nguyen Van Mieng, the court could not provide evidence to prove that they were planning to use explosive materials since police failed to find any material to make explosive devices and confiscated their phones instead. Mieng also claimed that four defendants only wanted to protest against a price hike in electricity and gas, as well as against the bill on Special Economic Zones, with the fear that Vietnam would be dependent on Chinese investment. Lawyer Mieng asserts that beside messages and their online communication concerning the demonstration, no evidence about the alleged bombing could be found. He notes that the men were arrested on April 25, only three days before the scheduled crime. If they had intended to do anything with bombing and destroying properties, the public security force would have at least found some evidence such as wire, explosive materials, and related devices. The fact that they could find nothing means that the accusation is very weak, if not unfounded.

All six bloggers and activists were merely exercising their human rights, which are protected by both domestic law and international treaties.

Profile last updated: 2021-12-23 21:05:06

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