Huynh Anh Khoa
Current Status: Released - at risk
Other Names: Huỳnh Anh Khoa, Nino Huỳnh
Date of Birth: 1982
Gender: M
Last Known Prison: District 8 Police Temporary Detention Center
Areas of Activism:
- Democracy
- Economic reform
Highlighted Human Rights Concerns:
- Former Political Prisoner
- Denial of Legal Representation
- Online commentator
September 2021:
Huynh Anh Khoa (Nino Huynh) was released from prison on September 13, after serving a sentence of 15 months allegedly for “abusing democratic freedoms” by hosting a Facebook page called “Economic and Political Discussions” with two other persons. Their page had more than 46,000 followers. Khoa’s co-defendant, Nguyen Dang Thuong, received an 18 month sentence and Tran Trong Khai 12 months. Using his wife’s Facebook page after he was released, Khoa stated that he’d would focus on getting his life back on track and would not get involved with politics.
Details - Background, History of Activism, Contact Information.
Khoa was born in 1982 and he now lives with his wife and children in Ho Chi Minh city.
Profile photo source: Radio Free Asia
Little is known about Khoa’s activism. According to the Defend the Defenders, Khoa and Nguyen Dang Thuong moderate the Facebook group named Bàn luận Kinh tế-Chính trị (Economic-Political Discussion) with 46,000 followers.
Two Facebookers Detained for Political Discussion on Social Network, Accused of “Abusing Democratic Freedom”, Vietnam Human Rights Defenders, June 16, 2020
Vietnamese Police Arrest Two Facebook Users Linked to Popular Discussion Group, Radio Free Asia, June 17, 2020
Arrested June 13, 2020. Sentenced to 1 year 3 months in prison under Art. 331 (2015 Code). Released September 13, 2021.
June 13, 2020
- Art. 331 (2015 Code)
Binh Tan district public security, Ho Chi Minh city
Ho Chi Minh City (map)
December 21, 2020
People’s Court of District 8, Ho Chi Minh City
Nguyen Van Mieng
1 year 3 months in prison
September 13, 2021
September 13, 2021
- freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention
- liberty and security of the person
- freedom of expression
- fair trial
Police in Ho Chi Minh City arrested Huynh Anh Khoa and Nguyen Dang Thuong on June 13, 2020, for their activities in an online discussion group. They have been charged with “abusing democratic freedoms” under Article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code. Public security officers from the District 8 police department searched Khoa’s home and forced him and his wife to sign three unspecified documents; he and Thuong are both reportedly now held at the detention center in District 8 in Ho Chi Minh City. Defend the Defenders reported that Khoa led a Facebook group with almost 50,000 users called Economic-Political Discussion. The group was closed down after the arrests.
On June 22, 2020, attorney Nguyen Van Mieng went to the District 8 Detention Center to meet with Huynh Anh Khoa to discuss his case. The police told Mieng that Khoa had waived his right to an attorney. The police asked Mieng and Khoa to sign a refusal letter to hire an attorney. Khoa's wife was confused because right after Khoa got arrested, he sent a message to her asking her to hire Nguyen Van Mieng as his attorney. Mieng told Khoa's wife that Khoa didn't say anything during the meeting; he only spoke a little about his current health condition. Khoa's wife believes that something might have happened to Khoa in detention, and that he may have been threatened by the police to not hire a lawyer.
December 2020:
The trial for Facebookers Huynh Anh Khoa and Nguyen Dang Thuong, scheduled for December 7, was moved to December 21 after Thuong requested a delay due to poor health. Their families were not notified of the trial date until the morning of the trial, and then they were called and told it’d been postponed.
On December 21, social media activists Huynh Anh Khoa, Nguyen Dang Thuong, and Tran Trong Khai were sentenced to 15 months, 18 months, and 12 months in prison, respectively. They were accused of “abusing democratic freedoms” under Article 331 of the 2015 Criminal Code for administering a Facebook page that discusses economics and politics. The defendants were tried without counsel, and their families were not allowed into the courtroom.
Two Facebookers Detained for Political Discussion on Social Network, Accused of “Abusing Democratic Freedom”, Vietnam Human Rights Defenders, June 16, 2020
Vietnamese Police Arrest Two Facebook Users Linked to Popular Discussion Group, Radio Free Asia, June 17, 2020
Three Facebookers Convicted of “Abusing Democratic Freedom,” Sentenced to Total 45 Months in Prison, Defend the Defenders, December 21, 2020
Vietnam Sentences Three for Running Facebook Discussion Group, Radio Free Asia, December 21, 2020
Profile last updated: 2021-09-20 15:27:15