Profile

Phan Huu Diep Anh

Phan Hữu Điệp Anh

Detainment Type: Sentenced to prison

Photo of Phan Huu Diep Anh

Other Names: Phan Hữu Điệp Anh

Date of Birth: 1961

Gender: M

Ethnicity: Kinh

Activist Focus:

  • Freedom of expression
  • Press

Details

Immediate Concerns

June 2022:

Facebooker Phan Huu Diep Anh was given a prison sentence of one and a half years for “abuse of democratic freedoms” by a Ho Chi Minh City court on June 23. Anh was convicted of posting false information about how the authorities’ were handling the pandemic. Investigators said there was one video in particular of a person immolating himself which Anh wrongly attributed to COVID-related stress. Anh’s relatively light sentence was due in part to his good background and his sincere admission of guilt, said the court.

 

Background

Anh lives and works in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City.

Profile photo: Phan Huu Diep Anh at the public security office, Source.

History of Activism

According to comments by the local authorities, Anh has been using his Facebook account named Phan Anh to criticise the Party’s leadership. However, prior to his arrest, Anh was an ordinary citizen using the online platform only to share his thoughts and opinions.

Sentenced to 1 year 6 months in prison under Art. 331 (2015 Code). Expected Release is January 21, 2023.

July 21, 2021
  • Art 331
District
Binh Thanh District (map)
June 23, 2022 - Date of trial
1 year 6 months in prison
January 21, 2023
Details of Imprisonment

On July 21 2021, the Public Security of Binh Thanh District, with the approval of the same level of Procuracy, officially prosecuted Phan Huu Diep Anh. They accused him of posting defamatory and false information concerning a self-immolation incident, spreading fear and confusion among the population. 

Specifically, on July 19, 2021, there was a self-immolation incident at Truong Tho Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Diep Anh recorded and post it on several Facebook forums, saying that the failure of anti COVID-19 efforts in the city led to the man’s suicide. The local authorities denied this interpretation; they conveniently explained that the man had a mental illness, and that his incident had nothing to do with COVID-19. 

For this simple post, Diep Anh will be detained for two months for further “investigation.” However, they also noted that there are several posts in Anh’s Facebook account that potentially violate Article 331 too.

Resources

Khởi tố, bắt giam đối tượng tung tin “tự thiêu vì phẫn uất với công tác phòng chống dịch ở TPHCM“, Sai Gon Giai Phong, July 21, 2021 

Facebooker đăng tin COVID-19 bị khởi tố theo Điều 331 Bộ Luật Hình sự, RFA Vietnamese, July 21, 2021 

Khởi tố đối tượng tung tin xuyên tạc phòng chống dịch COVID-19, Công an Nhân dân, July 21, 2021 

Khởi tố vụ án, khởi tố bị can, bắt tạm giam 2 tháng đối tượng Phan Hữu Điệp Anh, Đảng Bộ thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, July 21, 2021  

Phê chuẩn Lệnh bắt tạm giam đối tượng tung tin xuyên tạc liên quan đến dịch COVID-19, Kiem Sat, July 21, 2021

Bị can Phan Hữu Điệp Anh khai gì về vụ tung tin người đàn ông tự thiêu?, Thanh Nien, July 21, 2021

Bị án tù với cáo buộc tung tin giả trong dịch COVID-19, RFA Vietnamese,  June 23, 2022

Profile last updated: 2024-06-13 20:34:06

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