Dinh Thi Thu Thuy

According to the accusation against her, Thuy has opened multiple Facebook accounts to edit, post, and share thousands of documents defaming and slandering the Party’s leadership. The public security agents also added that during the “national war” against COVID-19, Thuy has used social media to distort the state’s policy and create confusion among the public. Our brief review of Thuy’s Facebook account shows that none of these accusations are credible. She simply criticized certain policies, which should be completely protected as an international right to freedom of expression. According to VOA, the authorities also confiscated several facemasks that have the “NO - U” logo. NO - U is a political movement protesting the territorial claims of China in the South China Sea.

August 2020:

Police in Hau Giang Province extended by four months the detention of Dinh Thi Thu Thuy. She had been held incommunicado for four months at the time, and if convicted could face a prison sentence of seven to 12 years.

December 2020:

After being detained in Hau Giang Province for nearly eight months for her Facebook postings, Dinh Thi Thu Thuy finally was finally allowed to see her lawyers for the first time. Attorneys Nguyen Van Mieng and Trinh Vinh Phuc said her mental health is poor due to being held incommunicado. 

January 2021:

A court in Hau Giang sentenced Dinh Thi Thu Thuy to seven years on January 20, five days before the start of the National Congress. The trial, which lasted less than four hours, took place after she was temporarily detained for nine months. Thuy was charged with “conducting anti-state propaganda” for five Facebook posts that had just 130 Likes and 50 Shares; the government said the postings “satirized, ridiculed, and offended” Party leaders. Unlike many other trials in which family members are prohibited, Thuy’s father was allowed into the courtroom. 

March 2021:

On March 5, Dinh Thi Thu Thuy was allowed to call home. In a brief five-minute conversation, she was able to tell her father that she’s healthy and gained 2 kg in prison.

September 2021:

Dinh Thi Thu Thuy was able to call home in September. She had been moved to An Phuoc Prison. Thuy said the conditions there are better than at the pretrial detention center. She was still suffering from calcium deficiency which caused her to lose sleep. She also had to buy bottled water because the tap water causes diarrhea. For months now, no one has been able to send anything to the prisoners due to lockdown, but Thuy still had enough money to last her for three months. She also said there was no sign of Covid at An Phuoc that she could tell.