Profile

To Hoang Chuong

Current Status: Sentenced to prison

Photo of To Hoang Chuong

Other Names: Tô Hoàng Chương

Date of Birth: 1986

Gender: M

Religion: Buddhist

Ethnicity: Khmer Krom

Occupation: NGO worker

Areas of Activism:

  • Indigenous rights

Known Affiliations:

Communities At Risk:

Details

History of Activism

To Hoang Chuong is a Khmer Krom human rights defender who advocates for indigenous rights by distributing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) among members of his community. Because of his peaceful activism, on June 20, 2023, Chuong was unlawfully detained by Tra Vinh police, and he was hit in the head when he was interrogated, resulting in swelling and pain.

Profile photo source: USCRIF

Sentenced to 4 years in prison under Art. 331 (2015 Code). Expected Release is July 31, 2027.

July 31, 2023
  • Art. 331 (2015 Code)
Cầu Ngang district (map)
March 20, 2024 - Date of trial
The People's Court of Cau Ngang district, Tra Vinh province
None
4 years in prison
July 31, 2027
  • Khmer Kampuchea Krom Federation
  • US government
Details of Imprisonment

On March 20, 2024, The Cau Ngang District People’s Court in southern Vietnam’s Tra Vinh province convicted To Hoang Chuong of “abusing democratic freedoms” under Article 331, a section of the penal code 2015 Criminal Code used by the government to silence dissenting voices. 

Chuong was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison. According to the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation (KKF), Chuong was tried without access to a lawyer

Chuong was hit in the head when he was interrogated, resulting in swelling and pain. To Hoang Chuong and his co-defendant, Thach Cuong, were arrested on July 31, 2023 because they passed out copies of the United Nations’ “Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” which states that indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and develop their political, economic and social systems or institutions. 

Chuong was held incommunicado after arrest. 

The indictments for Chuong and Cuong also accused them of using their Facebook accounts to live-stream videos and to post and share photos and video clips.

The contents of the articles, photos and video clips “affected the national and religious unity, distorted the history of Vietnam and the authorities and insulted the prestige” of police and local authorities, according to the Tra Vinh provincial Department of Information and Culture.

Resources

Khởi tố, bắt tạm giam Thạch Cương và Tô Hoàng Chương về hành vi lợi dụng quyền tự do, dân chủ, July 31, 2023

Phiên toà xét xử vụ án hình sự Thạch Cương và Tô Hoàng Chương về tội “Lợi dụng các quyền tự do dân chủ xâm phạm lợi ích của Nhà nước, quyền lợi ích hợp pháp của tổ chức, cá nhân”, March 20, 2024

KKF press release, June 25, 2023

KKF press release, March 20, 2024

USCRIF database

On the Convictions of Vietnamese Ethnic Minority and Religious Freedom Advocates, US Dept. of State, April 1, 2024

Profile last updated: 2024-06-13 20:34:07

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