Nguyen Trung Trong Nghia
Effy Nguyen
Current Status: At risk
Date of Birth:
Gender: M
Ethnicity: Kinh
Activist Focus:
- Freedom of expression
- Human rights
- Press
Details
Immediate Concerns
Local police in Thanh Hoa Province warned the family of Nguyen Trung Ton to stay home for a period of days in late June. It was only after the time passed that the family learned the reason for the restriction; the local authorities wanted to prevent the family from meeting with the US ambassador, who was visiting the area, in regards to Ton and his condition in prison. Ton’s wife was arrested when she broke the house arrest to go sell food, and his son, Nguyen Trung Trong Nghia, was beaten by unknown assailants (thought to be plainclothes police) while going to the police station after his mother’s detention.
BackgroundNguyen Trung Trong Nghia, a video blogger and the son of political prisoner Nguyen Trung Ton, has advocated for his father’s release from prison on the global stage. Ton is serving a 12-year prison sentence for his religious freedom and democracy activism.
On February 20, 2018, Nghia addressed the 10th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. He described the harassment and imprisonment of his father, the struggle of his mother to sustain the family, and, more generally, the story of persecution against independent-minded religious leaders. Read and watch his full remarks here
In 2010, Nghia was attacked while on his way to school after his father spoke out about issues with the police.
January 16, 2020: detained at border crossing checkpoint
On January 16, 2020, Nguyen Trung Trong Nghia was briefly detained at Cau Tro border checkpoint, Ha Tinh. Nghia has been studying in the Philippines for seven years and had just returned to Vietnam. He was actively advocating for his father's release during his time abroad.
June, 2020: travel restriction and physical assault against family members of jailed activist
- Surveillance
- Intimidation
- Restriction of movement
- Assault
June, 2020
Quang Yen Commune, Quang Xuong District (map)
The family of Pastor Nguyen Trung Ton has been subject to multiple forms of harassment by the local authorities since he was arrested.
According to a report by Thanh Hoa Radio and Television, the US ambassador was leading a U.S. delegation to the northern coastal province to attend an opening ceremony for a local project supported by the embassy’s Fund for Cultural Preservation. Therefore, on June 26, local public security officers from the Quang Yen commune ordered all the family members of Pastor Ton not to go out of the home for the next few days.
According to Nguyen Thi Lanh, Nguyen Trung Ton’s wife, an officer named Nhon threatened that: “We cannot assure anything if you go outside, then are hit by a car or something.” They then used their own lock to lock the door, preventing the family from leaving the house.
On June 30, with no food and money left, Lanh had to use pliers to break the locks so she could sell goods in the market and seek some commodities. Here, a plainclothes public security officer pretended to buy from her then came back and accused her of fraud. This “justified” her arrest and detention.
At 4:00 p.m. that day, her son Nguyen Trung Trong Nghia left the home to meet his mother at the station. On his way there, he was attacked by two people, believed to be plainclothes police officers.
“My son was ambushed. They blindfolded and bludgeoned my son’s head with an electric baton, causing him injury,” said Nguyen Thi Lanh.
Profile last updated: 2024-06-13 20:34:06