Le The Thang
Current Status: Likely released - at risk
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Other Names: Lê Thế Thắng (Thắng Sói)
Date of Birth:
Gender: M
Occupation: Journalist
Known Affiliations:
Details
Immediate Concerns
January 2022:
An appellate court in Can Tho Province upheld the sentences against members of the Bao Sach (Clean News) group for violating Article 331—”abusing democratic freedoms.”
October 2021:
Five journalists from the Facebook group Bao Sach (Clean Newspaper) were sentenced to years in prison after a short two-day trial. They were accused of “abusing democratic freedoms” according to Article 331; their most controversial topic centered on the highly suspect death sentence of accused murderer Ho Duy Hai, who has always maintained his innocence. The defendants and their sentences are: Truong Chau Huu Danh (39), 4.5 years; Le The Thang (39), 3 years; Doan Kien Giang (36), 3 years; Nguyen Phuoc Trung Bao (39), 2 years; Nguyen Thanh Nha (41), 2 years.
Background
Thang is a renowned photographer that is recognized both nationally and internationally. Thang lives and works in Hanoi City.
Profile photo: Thang during his fieldwork. Source
Sentenced to 3 years in prison under Art. 331 (2015 Code). Expected Release is July 6, 2024.
October 28, 2021 - Date of trial
The People's Court of Can Tho Province
3 years in prison
July 6, 2024
Details of Imprisonment
In December 2020, Truong Chau Huu Danh was the first member of Bao Sach to be arrested, signaling the coming risk of arrest and harassment for the team members. The Bao Sach fan page soon disappeared, and other members also deactivated their Facebook accounts.
According to official news on July 6, Le The Thang was the person who directly deleted Bao Sach Fanpage after the arrest of Truong Chau Huu Danh. The Security Investigating Agency alleged that Thang only shared one post on the Bao Sach Facebook fanpage, but was in charge of video editing, recording videos and developing the Bao Sach Youtube page.
Thang is currently under a home detention order in Hanoi.
Actions Taken
October 2021:
The US State Department released a statement raising concern about the conviction of the five members of the Clean News group. “We understand this group of journalists focused on investigative reporting on corruption, which, of course, is not a crime. … Press freedom is fundamental to transparency and accountable governance. Authors, bloggers, and journalists often do their work at great risk, and we urge the Vietnamese government and other governments and citizens worldwide to ensure their protection.”
Resources
Khởi tố bị can Lê Thế Thắng, Zing News, July 7, 2021
Khởi tố Lê Thế Thắng trong nhóm 'Báo Sạch', Thanh Nien Online, July 7, 2021
Khởi tố thêm thành viên nhóm “Báo sạch”, Cong an Nhan dan, July 7, 2021
Vietnam court sentences ‘Clean Newspaper’ journalists to long prison terms, Radio Free Asia, October 28, 2021
US State Department Press Release, October 29, 2021
Vietnam: Appellate Court Upholds Convictions of Bao Sach’s Journalists, The Vietnamese, January 26, 2022
Profile last updated: 2024-07-15 22:16:13