Prisoners of Conscience & Human Rights Defenders
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Prison News More Detainees Die in Police CustodyAccording to the Vietnam Human Rights Network, and other rights organizations, at least nine people have died in police custody this year. On June 11, 2014, Tran Dinh Toan, 54, died three hours after being taken into police custody in Nam Dinh province to question him about possible possession of drugs. On March 21, 2014, a healthy young man died in police custody in Saigon. (Read More)
How the Vietnamese Government is Using Its Political Prisoners to Gain Leverage
Leila Chacko, Amnesty International, April 22, 2014
The release of three prisoners seems, at first glance, to be a step in the right direction for human rights. But, is this Viet Nam playing the old “shell game?”(...Read More) Vietnam Releases Prisoners of Conscience Vi Duc Hoi and Nguyen Tien Trung; Hundreds More Languish Behind BarsThe release from prison of writer Vi Duc Hoi and democracy activist Nguyen Tien Trung on April 12 brings to five the number of prisoners of conscience granted early release from prison since the beginning of 2014. Others released this year are Cu Huy Ha Vu, Dinh Dang Dinh, and Nguyen Huu Cau.
Protect Vietnamese Rights Defenders: Congressman's Message to the U.S. EmbassyDuring the March 26 congressional hearing on human rights in Vietnam, Congressman Frank Wolf called for the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam to monitor the safety of two religious freedom activists who testified directly from Vietnam via video hookup. (...Read More)
International Campaign Calls for Release of Vietnamese Human rights DefendersThree Vietnamese women — Do Thi Minh Hanh, Ho Thi Bich Khuong, and Ta Phong Tan — are among 19 international rights defenders highlighted in a global campaign against arbitrary jailing of rights defenders, launched by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) on March 27, 2014.
Rights Activists in Vietnam Hold Civil Society ConferenceOn March 4, 2014, human rights activists gathered for a civil society conference at Lien Tri pagoda on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, where they were welcomed by the pagoda’s abbot, Thich Khong Tanh, a former prisoner of conscience. Participants included representatives of the Association of Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience, the Dan Oan Petitioners' Movement, and Vietnam Women for Human Rights. (...Read More)
Former Prisoners Of Conscience Launch New Association in Vietnam
On February 18, 2014, 62 former prisoners of conscience in Vietnam announced the formation of an association that calls on the government to respect and uphold human rights in accordance with international standards, release all prisoners of conscience, and ensure that prisons in Vietnam meet international humanitarian standards. (...Read More)
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Updates: Rights Defenders and Prisoners of Conscience
Blogger and Democracy Activist Dieu Cay (Nguyen Van Hai)
On October 21, 2014, Vietnamese authorities released prominent political blogger Nguyen Van Hai (known by his pen-name, Dieu Cay) from prison. He was transported directly from prison to the Hanoi airport, where he was put on an airplane to the United States. (Read More) Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh
Members of the U.S. Congress as well as 14 religious leaders in Vietnam have raised strong concerns about the mistreatment in prison of Pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh, (Read More) Nguyen Bac Truyen
A year after unrest broke out in Xuan Loc Prison over harsh prison conditions, former political prisoner Nguyen Bac Truyen describes his own experiences in Xuan Loc, including forced labor shelling cashews. (Read More) Cu Huy Ha Vu
One of Vietnam's most well-known political prisoners, Cu Huy Ha Vu, was released prison on April 6, 2014. He and his wife, Nguyen Thi Duong Ha, arrived in the United States this morning, where Vu will reportedly receive medical treatment. (...Read More) Ho Thi Bich Khuong
Ho Thi Bich Khuong is one of 19 international prisoners of conscience highlighted in a global campaign by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). (...Read More) 
Nguyen Huu Cau
One of Vietnam’s longest imprisoned political prisoners, Nguyen Huu Cau, 67, was granted a presidential amnesty and released from prison on March 21, after almost 37 years’ in Vietnam’s prisons and re-education camps. (...Read More) Dinh Dang Dinh On February 3, 2014, prisoner of conscience Dinh Dang Dinh died at his home in Dak Nong province — less than two weeks after officials notified the terminally ill blogger and environmental activist that he had been granted permanent release from prison in a presidential amnesty. (..Read More) Pham Viet Dao Writer and blogger Pham Viet Dao was sentenced to prison on March 19 for "abusing democratic freedoms" (...Read More) Truong Duy Nhat On March 4, 2014, the Da Nang People’s Court sentenced blogger Truong Duy Nhat, 50, to two years in prison on charges of “abusing democratic freedoms” under article 258 of the Penal Code. (...Read More) Huynh Ngoc Tuan Writer and former prisoner of conscience Huynh Ngoc Tuan -- and his family -- have faced intense harassment since his release from ten years' imprisonment in 2002. (...Read More) Le Quoc Quan Supreme People's Court upholds Le Quoc Quan's conviction. (...Read More) |
Former Vietnamese prisoners of conscience shown in the photographs above:
Top Row: Dinh Nhat Uy, Phan Thanh Hai, Duong Thi Tan, Pham Ba Hai, Nguyen Dan Que, Thich Khong Tanh, Tran Thi Hai, Pham Chi Dung.
Second Row: Pham Chi Dung, Truong Minh Nguyet, Nguyen Ngoc Tuong, Pham Ba Hai, Than Van Truong, Tran Le Hong, Tran Thi Hai, Nguyen Dan Que, Nguyen Vu Binh, Bui Minh Hang, Le Van Soc; Le Thi Cong Nhan, Huynh Ngoc Tuan, Pham Thanh Nghien, Pham Hong Son.
Third Row: Le Nguyen Sang, Rev. Phan Van Loi, Rev. Nguyen Huu Giai, Huynh Noc Tuan, Pham Ba Hai; Nguyen Dan Que, Thich Thien Minh, Nguyen Vu Binh, Than Van Truong, Tran Le Hong, Bui Minh Hang.
(Photo: Association of Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience, http://fvpoc.org/ )
Top Row: Dinh Nhat Uy, Phan Thanh Hai, Duong Thi Tan, Pham Ba Hai, Nguyen Dan Que, Thich Khong Tanh, Tran Thi Hai, Pham Chi Dung.
Second Row: Pham Chi Dung, Truong Minh Nguyet, Nguyen Ngoc Tuong, Pham Ba Hai, Than Van Truong, Tran Le Hong, Tran Thi Hai, Nguyen Dan Que, Nguyen Vu Binh, Bui Minh Hang, Le Van Soc; Le Thi Cong Nhan, Huynh Ngoc Tuan, Pham Thanh Nghien, Pham Hong Son.
Third Row: Le Nguyen Sang, Rev. Phan Van Loi, Rev. Nguyen Huu Giai, Huynh Noc Tuan, Pham Ba Hai; Nguyen Dan Que, Thich Thien Minh, Nguyen Vu Binh, Than Van Truong, Tran Le Hong, Bui Minh Hang.
(Photo: Association of Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience, http://fvpoc.org/ )