![]() ![]() ![]() Popular Facebooker Dang Nhu Quynh, whose account once had over 300,000 followers, was arrested in April and charged under Article 331 for postings centered on women’s rights, public health, corruption, and economic reforms.Īs of the time of this writing, a total of 18 political prisoners had been put on trial in 2022. Three people so far in 2022 were charged under Article 117: Viet-Sino War veteran Tran Van Bang, a long-time advocate for multi-party democracy and member of an anti-China online group Le Manh Ha, a self-taught law expert on land rights who has a YouTube channel dedicated to helping land grab victims and Nguyen Duc Hung, a Facebooker whose postings and opinions were deemed to be “anti-state propaganda.” However, the case is still slated to be tried in late July. In June, however, the authorities suddenly withdrew all the charges against the group except for one, “abuse of democratic freedoms.” Lawyers for the group have filed a lengthy complaint listing irregularities in the way the case was investigated they demanded that the case be dismissed for violating prosecutorial procedures. Finally in May the police also arrested Cao Thi Cuc, the landlord who leased the property to Tinh That Bong Lai, as well as another monk. ![]() In January, authorities arrested Van and three of his disciples, charging them with multiple crimes. Also involved in these online attacks, as well as physical altercations, were several Buddhist leaders and the Long An provincial police, some of whom are both plaintiff and investigator in the case. Leading the false charges was the above-named Nguyen Phuong Hang, a successful businesswoman and influencer whose husband is an oligarch in Vietnam. Their celebrity status led to an avalanche of online attacks and accusations including everything from financial fraud to sexual molestation. Some of his disciples have a YouTube channel where they post their musical performances the group has won several singing competitions. The temple, which also serves as an orphanage, is run by a 90-year-old monk named Le Tung Van. The two other women, Nguyen Phuong Hang and Cao Thi Cuc, were part of a highly unusual case involving a Buddhist Zen temple named Tinh That Bong Lai in Long An Province. It’s not clear who is taking care of the couple’s two young children. Hoang’s husband, Nguyen Thai Hung, ran a modestly popular Youtube channel that had about 40,000 subscribers before it was shut down due to his arrest. In January, Vu Thi Kim Hoang was arrested along with her husband and charged with “abusing democratic freedoms” simply for reposting posts of other people about events such as the Dong Tam police raid. Nguy Thi Khanh is but one of four women arrested so far this year. This appears to represent another unwelcome trend, as Khanh was the fourth arrestee within the past twelve months who came from the traditionally depoliticized world of NGOs. Perhaps most disturbing, and cause for international concern, is the criminalization of nonprofit sector leaders, such as the charge of “tax evasion” against prominent environmentalist Nguy Thi Khanh. Husband and wife Nguyen Thai Hung and Vu Thi Kim Hoang Religious leaders who use social media to communicate with their followers were also persecuted for expressing their opinions or beliefs online. Interestingly, there also was one person, Truong Van Dung, arrested for “anti-State propaganda” but charged under Article 88 of the older 1999 Criminal Code.īloggers, YouTubers, and online commentators– individuals who simply post or comment on social media– continue to be targeted by the state. The wide array of arrests demonstrates the government’s unceasing clampdown on multiple forms of dissent.Īs was the case in 2021, many people (nine) were charged under Article 331, which is often described as “abuse of democratic freedoms.” Conversely, the number of charges involving Article 117 - or “anti-State propaganda” – was only three. In the other eight cases, authorities arrested both well-known activists and people who had only posted about their opinions on social media. Of those arrested, seven are defendants in the same case involving a Buddhist temple. In the first six months of 2022, there were a total of 15 new arrests as the crackdown on freedom of expression continued unabated. The report is divided into three sections: Arrests, Trials, and Prison Conditions. The data was extracted from The 88 Project Database, which is constantly updated as new information becomes available. This report is a brief update on arrests, trials, and prison conditions of Vietnamese activists during the first six months of 2022. ![]()
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