Tran Van Bang

Tran Van Bang received a summons dated February 25, 2022 by the Ho Chi Minh city public security, requesting him to be at the Investigating Agency Office (in District 1) on March 1. It is reported that he did not comply with the summons.

On March 1, state media reported that Ho Chi Minh city public security arrested Tran Van Bang at his house. He is accused of “storing, making, and posting online materials that propagandize, distort, and defame the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under article 117 of the 2015 Criminal Code. 

According to state media, Bang’s Facebook posts had “intended to defy the government and negatively affect social security and order.” The authorities also declared that they searched his house and found “a number of books and materials containing anti-state information.” 

Following Bang's arrest, one of his lawyers, Dang Dinh Manh, shared on his Facebook that Tran Van Bang signed a contract with the lawyers before his arrest. On March 5, lawyer Dang Dinh Manh confirmed that the registration to defend his client had been approved within 24 hours. It was unprecedented, as Vietnamese lawyers usually face difficulties in the registering procedures required by law enforcement.  

On March 11, Tran Van Bang was transferred from the District 12 Detention Center to Chi Hoa prison without informing his family. The family only found out about the transfer on March 15 when they visited the detention center in District 12.

December 2022:

Facebooker Tran Van Bang, held in pretrial detention since his arrest in March 2022, told his family that his health had taken a turn for the worse with several symptoms such as yellow fluid in both ears, fluid in both eyes, and a growing lump in one part of his body. Bang said he needed medical attention. He also asked for help drafting a will. His lawyers, Nguyen Van Mieng and Dang Dinh Manh, requested that Bang be immediately taken to a hospital for treatment.

Bang was also allegedly facing extended investigation, according to his lawyer Dang Dinh Manh.

February 2023:

Tran Van Bang was allowed to see his lawyers for the first time since his arrest in March 2022, after the state concluded their investigation into his online activism. Even though his health has reportedly been deteriorating while in detention, he was only allowed to be examined by doctors after his lawyers sent a petition earlier in the month requesting that he receive medical help. It is not clear what the prognosis was.

March 2023:

Tran Van Bang's family reported that he lost 10 kilograms due to untreated health problems, bad food, and alleged poor prison conditions. According to his sister, Tran Thi Biet, Bang has a tumor in his lower stomach the size of about 20 centimeters. Doctors from 30/4 Hospital recommended surgery, but Bang would like to get a biopsy first to be certain whether it’s malignant. He also wants to make a will in case he doesn’t survive the surgery. Bang was very happy that his 91-year-old mother was able to visit him for the first time in over a year. He was reported to be in poor health but in good spirits.

May 2023:

In a trial that lasted less than three hours, Tran Van Bang was sentenced to eight years in prison for Facebook posts that were deemed to be “anti-state propaganda.” According to RFA: “Two diplomats, from the U.S. and France, were barred from attending the proceedings. They were made to wait in the courtyard until the trial’s conclusion. Family members, meanwhile, were allowed only to watch the proceedings on a television screen from another room in the courthouse. Bang’s brother, who declined to be named, told RFA that the audio of the broadcast was cut several times when the defense lawyer was speaking and was turned very low when Bang spoke in his own defense.”

Tran Van Bang’s initial lawyer, Dang Dinh Manh, has also been under investigation for potential violations of Article 331, “abusing democratic freedoms,” and withdrew from the case. Bang’s family said they retained a new lawyer, Tran Dinh Dung, on May 8, which left them little time to prepare for the defense.

In an interview with RFA on February 17, 2022, Bang shared that due to his health problems, he had closed his Facebook account since December 26, 2021. He is facing severe eyesight issues and finger myositis.

November 2022:

Tran Van Bang, last known to be held at Chi Hoa prison, was reportedly in failing health and in need of medical treatment. His sister reported that his requests to be examined by a doctor had allegedly been denied several times; prison officials also allegedly said they’d take him to the hospital “if it became an emergency.”

May 2023:

Ahead of his trial, Human Rights Watch urged the Vietnamese authorities to immediately drop all charges against Bang.

Khởi tố bị can, bắt tạm giam Trần Văn Bang vì hoạt động chống Nhà nước, Quan Doi Nhan Dan, March 1, 2022

Bắt tạm giam đối tượng Trần Văn Bang hoạt động chống Nhà nước Việt Nam, Cong An Nhan Dan Online, March 1, 2022

Ông Trần Văn Bang bị bắt, Phap Luat Ho Chi Minh City, March 1, 2022

Khởi tố, bắt giam bị can Trần Văn Bang về hành vi chống phá Nhà nước, Thanh Nien, March 1, 2022

Bắt giam đối tượng Trần Văn Bang ở TPHCM có hoạt động chống phá Nhà nước, Lao Dong, March 1, 2022

Bắt bị can Trần Văn Bang về tội làm, tàng trữ, phát tán tài liệu chống Nhà nước, Vietnamnet, March 1, 2022

Nhà hoạt động Trần Văn Bang bị bắt theo Điều 117 Bộ luật hình sự, RFA Vietnamese, March 1, 2022

Lawyer Dang Dinh Manh’s Facebook post

Co Muoi Hoi Le's Facebook post

Moc Lan Facebook post, December 2022